Carlos Hernandez

Congressional Intern, Presented by CHCI
Hometown: Des Plaines, Illinois
School: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Major: Political Science; Spanish
Placement: Office of Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia

Carlos Hernandez was born in Santa Barbara, California but raised in Des Plaines, Illinois. He is the son of a mixed-status family with Mexican roots.

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Carlos is a Chancellor’s Scholar, and a first-generation college student double-majoring in Political Science and Spanish, while pursuing minors in Legal Studies and Latina/Latino Studies. Carlos has conducted research with Baja California’s Secretary of Education to address barriers faced by migrant students and founded a mentorship program that connects university students with local middle and high school students. Carlos teaches citizenship classes through the New American Welcome Center at Champaign’s University YMCA, where he has worked as a legal services intern for the past three years. While abroad in Spain, Carlos conducted research and worked at an NGO called Asturias Acoge, where he tutored children and assisted immigrants with Spanish asylum applications. This experience culminated in a comprehensive research paper.

Carlos has been awarded the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship. Following his tenure as a CHCI Summer 2026 Congressional Intern, he will travel to Athens, Greece, where he will work with migrant shelters and continue learning about immigration systems. Carlos aspires to be the first in his family to earn a master’s degree, a J.D., and a Ph.D.

During his internship with CHCI, Carlos looks forward to gaining experience in policymaking. In particular, he hopes to learn how Congress supports binational collaboration between the Department of Education and nonprofit organizations addressing the educational challenges faced by migrant children.