About Us

Lora Ries | Senior Consultant
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For over a decade, Lora Ries has provided expert counsel regarding immigration and travel issues and policy expertise to two branches of the federal government. Monument Policy Group began utilizing Ries’ talents in 2007 when she joined the firm as a senior consultant.

Ries served as the Acting Director and Deputy Director of Mission Operations in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) US-VISIT Program Office in 2005 and 2006. There, she was the project manager for integrating US-VISIT’s IDENT 2-fingerprint identification system with the FBI’s IAFIS 10-fingerprint identification system.

Prior to her service at US-VISIT, Ries was the first Policy Director for Immigration in the DHS Border and Transportation Security Directorate from 2003-2005, advising Secretary Tom Ridge and Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson on immigration policy matters, including US-VISIT, the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), and Border Crossing Cards. Ries oversaw immigration enforcement policies implemented by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and coordinated policy development with other DHS agencies such as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Ries was also the lead policy counsel for visa policy assigned to DHS by the Homeland Security Act of 2002. In fulfilling these duties, Ries worked closely with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a variety of White House offices.

Previously, Ries served as Counsel on the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims. There, she counseled Chairmen Henry Hyde (R-IL), Lamar Smith (R-TX), James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), George Gekas (R-PA), and John Hostettler (R-IN) on immigration legislation, oversight, and hearings. She negotiated and drafted the INS Data Management Improvement Act, which required construction of the entry-exit system now known as US-VISIT; the Enhanced Border Security Act; the immigration provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act; and the INS restructuring provisions of the Homeland Security Act.

From 1998 to 2000, Ries was Assistant District Counsel with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Immigration and Naturalization Service, preparing and prosecuting court cases in immigration removal proceedings.

Through the Attorney General’s Honor Program, Ries began her legal career in 1996 with the DOJ Executive Office for Immigration Review, Board of Immigration Appeals as an attorney-advisor, where she wrote Board orders, including precedent decisions, for the Board Members.

Ries received both her B.A. and J.D. from Valparaiso University in 1993 and 1996, respectively.

Ries and husband Matt have two children.