Nithya Nathan-Pineau is a policy attorney & strategist based in Washington, D.C. She focuses on federal legislative advocacy at the ILRC. Her work is focused on policies combatting criminalization of immigrant communities. This includes developing and cultivating partnerships with community-based organizations and elected officials, and providing legal education and training.

Nithya brings nearly a decade of experience providing legal services to immigrants in Texas, Virginia, and Maryland. Prior to joining the ILRC, Nithya served as the Director of the Children’s Program at the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition. She also worked at the Tahirih Justice Center and the South Texas Pro Bono and Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR). Nithya focused on removal defense and humanitarian-based immigration relief including affirmative and defensive asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, protection under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), DACA, and U and T visas.

Nithya obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and Political Science from Tufts University and she earned her law degree from Brooklyn Law School. Nithya is admitted to the bar in Texas and New Jersey. She is fluent in English and Spanish and conversational in Tamil.