Kashmiri born MPI senior fellow receives Outstanding American by Choice recognition
Washington, Jan 22: Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, was honoured today by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with an Outstanding Americans by Choice recognition presented by USCIS Director Ur M Jaddou.
Jaddou gave the recognition to Chishti during a naturalisation ceremony for two dozen new US citizens in Philadelphia at the Museum of the American Revolution.
The Outstanding Americans by Choice recognition honors naturalised citizens who have made significant contributions to their adopted country through civic participation, professional achievement and responsible citizenship.
Past honourees include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, chef and humanitarian José Andrés and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
“Muzaffar—or Muz as everyone in the immigration world knows him—has left a lasting imprint on immigration policy, as well as legal services, philanthropic investments and services for immigrant families,” said MPI President Andrew Selee. “Being celebrated as an Outstanding American by Choice is a fitting honour for someone who has worked tirelessly to make this country a better and fairer place. All of us at MPI congratulate him on this recognition.”
Chishti, born in Kashmir, and naturalised as a US citizen in 1993, has dedicated his life’s work to US immigration policy at the federal, state and local levels and is a nationally recognised expert.
Chishti, who also directs MPI’s office in New York based at the New York University School of Law, focuses on immigration policy and law, the intersection of labour and immigration law, immigration enforcement, civil liberties and immigrant integration. He co-authors a popular monthly analysis, the Policy Beat, for MPI’s online magazine, the Migration Information Source.
At MPI since 2002, he has spoken extensively on immigration policy issues, testified before Congress and is frequently quoted in national and international media. He is a 1994 recipient of the New York State Governor's Award for Outstanding Asian Americans and a 1995 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honour.