2011 Great Immigrants
Guillermo Linares
Born in Dominican Republic
Guillermo Linares, who grew up poor in the Dominican Republic and was unable to speak English when he arrived in the Bronx at age 14 represented the 72nd assembly district in Manhattan in the New York State Assembly until 2013. A leading advocate of immigrant rights, he also served as the commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. As a New York City Council Member, he became the city’s first Dominican elected to public office, in 1991. Updated 2013