Muzaffar Chishti

Director, Migration Policy Institute, NYU School of Law

Muzaffar Chishti, a lawyer, is Director of Migration Policy Institute’s (MPI) office at New York University School of Law. Prior to joining MPI, Mr. Chishti was Director of the Immigration Project of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial & Textile Employees (UNITE).  He has authored or coauthored several publications on US immigration admission policies, immigration enforcement, and rights of immigrants. 

Mr. Chishti serves on the boards of directors of the New York Immigration Coalition and the Asian American Federation. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Forum and the National Immigration Law Center, and as a member of the American Bar Association’s Coordinating Committee on Immigration.

He has testified extensively on immigration policy issues before Congress and is frequently quoted in the media. In 1992, as part of a U.S. team, he assisted the Russian Parliament in drafting its legislation on forced migrants and refugees. He is a recipient of the New York State Governor's Award for Outstanding Asian Americans, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. 

Mr. Chishti was educated at St. Stephen's College, Delhi; the University of Delhi; Cornell Law School; and the Columbia School of International Affairs.