Eleanor Acer is a founding Director of IDC Americas. Eleanor is the Director of Human Rights First’s Refugee Protection program. Eleanor oversees Human Rights First’s pro bono advocacy on issues relating to refugee protection, asylum, and migrants’ rights. Eleanor advocates, speaks and writes regularly on issues relating to the human rights of refugees and migrants, including legal representation, detention, U.S. asylum law and policy and protection from xenophobic and bias-motivated violence. She has authored numerous reports and articles, and has testified before the U.S. Congress.
Eleanor was awarded the Louis J. Lefkowitz Award for Public Service by Fordham University School of Law in 2007. She was selected by the American Bar Association to serve on its Commission on Immigration, and also serves on the Advisory Board of the International Detention Coalition.