After the June 2026 Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship, Kica Matos observed how fragile foundational constitutional guarantees have become, with the struggle for immigrant rights serving as a central pillar of the broader pro-democracy fight.

Named one of Time magazine’s most influential people of 2026, Matos is president of the National Immigration Law Center and the Immigrant Justice Fund. She also is a Distinguished Practitioner at Yale University’s Brady Johnson Program in Grand Strategy. She has a front-row seat to the immigration debate and will address immigrant rights and how “We the People” are ALL the people.

Her bold vision and engagement in broad-reaching advocacy offers hope to many youths and immigrants facing challenges under the nation’s current immigration laws.

Matos is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award and was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame in 2021. She has a bachelor’s degree from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; a master’s degree from the New School; and a law degree from Cornell Law School.