Hometown: Brockton, Massachusetts

Bio: Cesar, a first-generation American from a Peruvian immigrant family, was raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. His personal and professional experiences have been deeply shaped by the lives of immigrants, and he remains committed to immigration advocacy. He earned his undergraduate degree in History and Spanish from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. After graduating, Cesar worked as a paralegal at an immigration law firm, where he supported clients with a wide range of immigration petitions. He later moved to Washington, D.C., to join the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition, where he worked in the Detained Children’s Program. There, he delivered Know Your Rights presentations and conducted individual legal screenings for recently arrived minors. Following this, Cesar served as a paralegal at Benach Collopy LLP, assisting attorneys and clients with the preparation of petitions, applications, and court filings in both immigration and federal courts. Most recently, Cesar interned at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL), supporting the Institute for Social and Economic Planning. His work focused on migration research, as well as monitoring and evaluating country-specific social programs in collaboration with UN staff. In his free time, Cesar enjoys playing tennis and supporting every Boston related sports team.

Research Area – Substantive: Migration Studies

Research Area – Geographic: Northern Triangle