Marielena Hincapié

Marielena Hincapié is an Immigration Law and Policy Fellow at Cornell Law School. She previously served as Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and NILC Immigrant Justice Fund until November 2022. Her work intersects labor law, immigration policy, and grassroots advocacy.

Education:

• Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law

Research Interests: Focuses on equitable immigration policies, labor rights for immigrants, and systemic advocacy. She has co-led initiatives like the Immigrant Movement Visioning Process and pioneered campaigns such as #ImmigrantsAreEssential, recognized for advancing immigrant rights and equity.

Awards: Recipient of the Univision Corazón Award and Stanford Law School’s National Public Service Award. Campaigns under her leadership have garnered national recognition.

Key Contributions: Instrumental in shaping DACA, founding the Protecting Immigrant Families coalition, and amplifying immigrant voices in policy debates. Continues to influence national discourse on immigration, equity, and democracy through speaking engagements and media presence.