Kristie De Pena is the senior vice president for policy and director of immigration at the Niskanen Center.

She focuses on immigration and national security law and policy and earned her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law, and a Master of Laws in national security and foreign policy from George Washington University School of Law.

De Peña  consulted with the Department of State on immigration, healthcare, and security issues prior to her work at the Niskanen Center. Her work has  been cited in CNBC, The New York Times, USA Today, Bloomberg, Vice, Washington Examiner, National Review, The Hill, The American Conservative, Newsweek, and Reason.