Director, Management, Technology, and Capabilities Program, RAND Homeland Security Research Division; Senior Behavioral/Social Scientist; Professor of Policy Analysis, RAND School of Public Policy
To schedule an interview, call (310) 451-6913 or email media@rand.org.
Doug Ligor is director of the Management, Technology, and Capabilities (MTC) Program within the Homeland Security Research Division, a senior behavioral scientist, and a professor at the RAND School of Public Policy. His research areas include: homeland and national security law, regulation, and policy, particularly as they relate to immigration, border security, migration, asylum, and refugee processing; space governance and international law; law enforcement; and national defense. Ligor's research interests extend to civil and criminal law; litigation; statutory and regulatory compliance; international and customary law (including treaty-based regimes); and coordination among federal, state, and local government entities.
Before RAND, Ligor served as deputy chief counsel for the Northeast Law Division of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security. He also served as assistant district counsel with the Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service (later DHS/Immigration and Customs Enforcement). He represented DOJ and DHS with respect to all major aspects of U.S. immigration law, including national security issues and cases; naturalization and citizenship; lawful permanent residence; asylum and refugee status; and criminal and civil grounds of detention and removal. Ligor began his legal career through the Department of Commerce's Honors Attorney Program, serving as legal liaison to the Secretary of Commerce. Before joining federal service, Ligor served as an Armor officer in the U.S. Army in company and battalion staff positions.
Ligor received his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and his B.S. in economics from the United States Military Academy, West Point.
J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law; B.S. in economics, United States Military Academy, West Point
Professor of Policy Analysis, RAND School of Public Policy
