Personal and Professional Experiences

“I am forever indebted to the resilient and inspiring women who have exemplified what it means to sacrifice, overcome, and achieve. Time and time again, history demonstrates the perseverance of immigrant women…and they will continue to do so against all odds. Their strength inspires younger generations, like mine, to challenge injustice when we see it and to lead with empathy, humility, and humanity.”

— Alexis Fintland

Read about my career, education, and interests…

 

Education

I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Labor and Industrial Relations from Cornell University, where I graduated with honors and minors in Migration Studies, Latino/a Studies, and Law & Society. I am a Cuban American who is passionate about reforming our asylum system and improving our immigration laws. On the Hill, I advocated for immigration policy change as a legislative intern for now Vice President Kamala D. Harris and Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-28). I have also examined our country's most pressing labor issues as an undergraduate research fellow for the ILR Worker Institute, where I developed my award-winning thesis, “Essential Work, Unlawful Labor: An Analysis of Undocumented Status & Migrant Worker Precarity During COVID-19”.

Interests

My main interests revolve around:

Career

As a Research Assistant at the Migration Policy Institute’s National Center for Immigrant Integration Policy, my research focuses on promoting the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of immigrants and refugees in the United States. I analyze workforce systems, language access policies, adult education programs, and overall equity issues impacting immigrant communities. Currently, I am seeking some professional policy experience before attending law school.

Publications and Features

 
 

MPI Commentary: Apprenticeship Programs Are a Promising Solution to Bring More Multilingual Workers into Early Childhood Field

By Jacob Hofstetter, Alexis Fintland, and Maki Park

Shortages of workers continue to plague early childhood education and care (ECEC) systems across the United States. With the field already struggling to effectively serve young children in families that speak languages other than English, apprenticeship programs offer a promising solution to bring more—and more multilingual—workers into early childhood careers.

 

Cornell Daily Sun: This Women’s History Month, Support Local Ithaca Women

By Alexis Fintland

This Women’s History Month, let’s celebrate the major milestones that women continue to achieve while reflecting on the many unjust obstacles and struggles endured by those who came before us. Additionally, we must take swift action to address the many unresolved gender equality issues that have been exacerbated by COVID-19’s catastrophic consequences.

Columbia Undergrad Law Review: Seeking Asylum Under Title 42: Weaponizing Public Health Law to Expel Migrants at The Border

By Alexis Fintland

In Seeking Asylum Under Title 42: Weaponizing Public Health Law to Expel Migrants at The Border, Alexis Fintland offers insight into the evolution of immigration law as it concerns epidemics and other public health emergencies. Fintland invokes this historical foundation, coupled with specifc focus on the appellate decision in Huisha-Huisha v Mayorkas, to argue that Title 42 violates the non-refoulement principle and should therefore be struck down.

 

Einaudi Center for International Studies: Advice for the Class of 2023

By Mario Einaudi CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES at Cornell University

A year after their graduation, some of our past undergraduate Migrations scholars share advice for the class of 2023!

 

INSIGHT into Diversity: National Hispanic Heritage Month Q&A

By INSIGHT Staff

Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month offers the opportunity to celebrate the culture and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx people in the U.S. This year’s theme, Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation, is meant to showcase the diversity of this population.  

In observance of this important celebration, INSIGHT recently spoke with several Hispanic and Latinx members of the higher education community about their unique experiences and what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them.