Lora Ries

Director, Border Security and Immigration Center, and Senior Research Fellow @ The Heritage Foundation

United States

Lora is the Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, bringing nearly 30 years of expertise in immigration and homeland security. She has extensive experience in both government and private sectors, having worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in roles focused on management, immigration policy, and operations, including serving as Acting Deputy Chief of Staff.

Lora has also worked as a homeland security strategist in the private sector and in government relations. She previously served as Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims and began her career at the Department of Justice’s Board of Immigration Appeals and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Her insights on immigration and security have been widely published in outlets like The National Interest, Fox News, Roll Call, and The Hill. Lora has also participated in numerous radio and TV interviews and has testified before Congress.

Lora holds a law degree from Valparaiso University Law School, where she also studied at the University of Houston Law Center in Mexico City. She earned a BA in International Economics and Cultural Affairs, with a focus on Spanish, from Valparaiso University, and also studied Mexican History and Culture as an undergraduate at La Universidad de las Américas in Puebla, Mexico.