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Career Biography of Stephen K Fischel
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Stephen Fischel, a graduate of University of Santa Clara Law School, commenced his government career in January 1974 with the Passport Office, U.S. Department of State, adjudicating citizenship cases. He transferred in 1975 to the Visa Office, also, of the Bureau of Consular Affairs at State where he served in several capacities until he became the Director of the Office of Legislation, Regulations, and Advisory Assistance. As the primary advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs on all visa related legal matters, including immigration policy, he oversaw the Advisory Opinions Division, the Legislation and Regulations Division, the Coordination Division controlling security advisory opinions, and the Waiver Review Division.
Stephen represented the State Department in the negotiation of the temporary entry chapter for the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement and later the North America Free Trade Agreement. In 2001 he participated in the President’s Bilateral Migration Talks with Mexico, providing many options to address the “regularization” of undocumented Mexicans, crafting a framework for a bilateral Temporary Worker Program, and designing significant reform to the H-2B program. He continued involvement in this area as State’s representative on the President’s revised Temporary Worker Program until retirement from government service in 2005.
Over his 31 _ year career, Stephen has received many Superior Honor Awards for his performance including the Secretary of State’s Award upon retirement. He was rewarded for his performance for creating facilitative visa processing for the Atlanta Olympics with the Hammer Award.
Stephen is a recognized speaker at domestic and international fora. He speaks often before the immigration bar (domestic and international), human resource groups, student associations, chambers of commerce and other business entities, and other organizations seeking insight into the immigration process. He has worked closely with the Congress and immigration think tanks on many legislative matters.
He was until recently associated with FMF Global Law Group and is currently a Fellow with the Migration Policy Institute (www.migrationpolicy.org). Stephen received the 2006 American Immigration Law Foundation’s Distinguished Public Service Award in March, 2006. (www.ailf.org) He is currently on AILF’s board of trustees.
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