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Jorge Quintanilla

Senior Program Associate, Operations and Quality Assurance

Before joining Acacia, Jorge accumulated over 10 years of experience providing legal services to unaccompanied minors and adults. His commitment to advocating for immigrants began in 2012 when he joined ProBAR. He initially provided legal services for custodians. Later, as the Director of the Shelter Services Department, he oversaw the delivery of legal services to unaccompanied children detained in facilities run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. His responsibilities included hiring and supervising staff, developing stakeholder relationships, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.

Prior to joining Acacia, Jorge worked as an Asylum Officer with the Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, in Houston, TX, where he adjudicated complex asylum applications and conducted credible/reasonable fear screenings.

Jorge holds a Master’s in Public Affairs from The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico. He currently resides in Houston with his family, enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with his wife, and exploring the outdoors with his son Jorge, searching for cool bugs.