14 JANUARY 2021
Immigration Hub: Tyler Moran and Esther Olavarria are Stalwart Champions for Immigrant Rights and Critical Immigration Policy Reforms
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Office of President-Elect Joe Biden announced the appointment of Tyler Moran, former Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, as Special Assistant to the President for Immigration for the Domestic Policy Council. Moran will be joining Esther Olavarria, the Biden Administration’s Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council for Immigration, to guide and shape immigration policy under Susan Rice, domestic policy advisor. In response, the Immigration Hub issued the following statement:
“President-elect Biden’s commendable appointment of Tyler Moran and Esther Olavarria represent a promising shift to re-envision and rebuild our nation’s immigration system. We are extremely proud that Moran and Olavarria will lend their decades of experience in immigration policy to help the Biden administration implement transformative and much-needed changes to our dysfunctional immigration system.
“Moran, unquestionably, is a stalwart champion for immigrant rights. As executive director of the Immigration Hub, Moran was instrumental in the organization’s efforts to combat the Trump administration’s draconian and divisive immigration policies. Under her leadership, the Hub has served as a national convener of immigration policy advocates and provided strategic support to a broad spectrum of partners and stakeholders while cultivating innovative political research and voter outreach to positively shift the public narrative on immigration.
“Moran’s past accomplishments at the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama and with former Senator Harry Reid will bring the acumen and policy expertise to support the president-elect’s vision for immigration reform in our country during an unprecedented public health and economic crisis. Notably, her role to develop and implement the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program was critical to ensuring hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth could seek relief.
“While our organization will truly miss her candor, boldness and talent, we are incredibly grateful and proud that Moran will continue to tackle one of America’s most pressing issues in service of millions, including the most vulnerable members of our communities.
“We applaud the appointment of Esther Olavarria as Deputy Assistant to the President, whose extraordinary and accomplished decades of service in immigration policy, legal defense and government will strengthen and help realize the president-elect’s immigration priorities. Olavarria has been at the forefront of immigration policy and will continue to lead our nation in the development of fair and humane immigration reforms at the Biden-Harris White House.
“Both Moran and Olavarria are incredible assets to the incoming administration. They will help build a better immigration system for all Americans.”
Tyler Moran’s biography: Prior to her appointment in the Biden administration, Tyler Moran co-founded the Immigration Hub and has 20 years of experience developing and implementing immigration policy. Moran previously served as Senior Policy Advisor to Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, where she managed immigration policy and strategy for Senate Democratic leadership and the Democratic Caucus. She was previously the Deputy Policy Director for Immigration at the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama, where the immigration team managed the development and implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the President's immigration reform bill in 2013. Prior to working in government, Tyler worked for the National Immigration Law Center, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition and taught high school at the Tilton School.
Esther Olavarria’s biography: Esther Olavarria has worked in the immigration and refugee field for decades at nonprofit organizations and in the federal government. Born in Cuba, Esther began her career as an immigration attorney in Miami, Florida, working at various non-profit organizations representing asylum seekers and immigrants. Between 1986 and 1998 she was a staff attorney for the Haitian Refugee Center, co-founder and managing attorney of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, and on staff with Legal Services of Greater Miami as directing attorney with the American Immigration Lawyer Pro Bono Project. Moving to Washington, DC in 1998, she served as Senator Edward Kennedy's immigration counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she worked on a broad range of initiatives, including immigration reform. Joining the Obama Administration in 2009, Esther served in senior positions at the Department of Homeland Security and the White House Domestic Policy Council, where she helped craft administrative and legislative initiatives. She has also worked for the Immigration Hub, the Center for American Progress and the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.