Saturday, February 03, 2018

Former airport employee files complaint

A former employee of the Brownsville South Padre Island Airport who sued the City of Brownsville last year said in a civil rights complaint that Airport Director Bryant Walker accused him of forging Walker’s name on an immigration form.

“I deny 100% this allegation that is false and is further proof of the discriminatory treatment I am being subjected to by Mr. Walker and the City of Brownsville,” Sesha Sai Vorrey wrote in a December 2016 civil rights complaint to the Department of Justice.

Vorrey sued the City of Brownsville last year, alleging that city officials discriminated against him because he is from India.

The Brownsville Herald obtained the complaint to the DOJ through a Texas Public Information Act request. The newspaper also requested administrative leave and termination letters issued to Vorrey from the city, but the Texas Attorney General’s Office ruled the city did not have to release that information due to the pending litigation.

According to the lawsuit, Vorrey’s troubles started in December 2016.

By Feb. 10, 2017, Walker, who was hired in May 2016, issued Vorrey a formal termination letter. Vorrey was interim airport director after the July 2015 departure of longtime director Larry Brown.

“Mr. Walker states that he is terminating Mr. Vorrey as a result of allegations of misconduct reported on or about December 11, 2016, and on or about December 21, 2016,” the lawsuit states. “Mr. Walker states he has lost confidence in Mr. Vorrey’s credibility and his ability to carry out the duties and functions of the position he held at the airport at the time of his termination.”

Court documents show that allegations arose that Vorrey’s I-129 Visa application had been falsified. That type of visa allows non-citizens to work in the U.S.

Vorrey filed his complaint with the Department of Justice on Dec. 12, 2016, one day after the first report of alleged misconduct on Dec. 11, 2016.

In the DOJ complaint, Vorrey accuses city staff of discriminating against him because he is Indian.
02/02/18 Mark Reagan/Brownsville Herald
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