Dr. Juan Hernandez serves as a Senior Fellow of the Institute’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform Initiative. Dr. Hernandez formerly served as a cabinet member to President Vicente Fox as Director of the Office for Mexicans Living Abroad. He is the first American to serve Mexico’s government at this level. He left his cabinet position to create The Organization for Hispanic Advancement, (HispanA, a non-profit 501c3). Dr. Hernández’s recent book, The New American Pioneers, is an authoritative, in depth look at the complex issues related to Mexican immigration.

Dr. Hernandez, a Texas native, is also the founder of the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas. In addition, he is a leading figure in the Latino evangelical community and partners frequently with We Care America to address the humanitarian and faith-based issues involved in the debate over immigration reform.

Dr. Hernandez’s analysis and commentary has been featured on National Public Radio, ABC, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC and Univisión, as well as on various state and local radio and television programs and in state newspapers nationwide. Dr. Hernandez has also been profiled in various magazines including Fortune; Latino Perspectives; Latin Trade, where he was named Humanitarian Man of 2001; and Hispanic Business, which classified Dr. Hernandez as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States.

He completed his undergraduate studies at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and received his master’s and Ph.D. degree at Texas Christian University.