Immigration Detention Staff Attorney

Immigration Detention Staff Attorney(s)
Open Until Filled

An exciting opportunity to work on the front lines of deportation defense at a leading civil rights organization. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus (Advancing Justice-ALC) is the nation’s oldest legal organization focusing on the civil rights of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Since 1972, Advancing Justice-ALC has worked with diverse local communities through direct representation and community education. This community work has led to high-profile litigation and local, state, and federal policy advocacy. Our current program areas include Immigrant Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, Housing Rights, National Security and Civil Rights, Workers’ Rights, Voting Rights, and ASPIRE. We are a member of the Northern California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice*.

Position Summary: Advancing Justice-ALC is recruiting two staff attorneys to advocate for immigrants in detention. The attorneys’ primary focus will be providing direct legal services to immigrants who are detained and facing deportation. The attorney will also have opportunities to participate in litigation, advocacy, and anti-deportation campaigns. The attorney will work closely with the existing team of three experienced immigration attorneys.

Key Responsibilities:
● Manage active caseload of detained clients and provide high-quality legal representation ranging from removal defense in immigration court to appellate work, motions to reopen, and requests for release from custody
● Provide legal advice to detained immigrants through visits to detention facilities, phone calls, letters, and participation in the immigration court’s Attorney of the Day program
● Identify systemic problems through direct services work and participate in resulting litigation and advocacy efforts

Qualifications:
● Demonstrated commitment to advancing the rights of low-income, API, people of color, senior, people with disabilities, and/or immigrant communities
● Three years of immigration law experience, particularly removal and criminal-immigration defense experience, highly preferred
● Fluency or a high level of proficiency in Spanish or an API language required
● Excellent research, analytical, written, and oral communication skills
● Ability to work with a diverse group of mission-driven lawyers and staff with a range of substantive law knowledge, experience and expertise
● Highly motivated and self-starting
● B.A./B.S. and J.D. degrees with membership in good standing with a State Bar (California preferred)
● Ability to travel to northern California immigration detention facilities

Salary and Benefits:
This is a full-time, non-exempt position with the possibility of renewal. Salary is based on experience and principles of internal equity. The salary range is $54,000 - $65,000. A full benefits package is included.

Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit via email a cover letter and resume summarizing interest, qualifications and experience; a writing sample (no more than ten pages); and three references to [email protected]. Please write Immigration Detention Attorney in the subject line and submit materials in PDF format. Please no phone calls.

*Background on the Collaborative: Advancing Justice - ALC is a member of the Northern California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (NCCIJ). NCCIJ consists of more than forty groups, including nonprofit Bay Area immigration legal service providers, law school clinics, public defender offices, and other organizations that represent and advocate for individuals and families whose lives are most directly affected by our nation’s unjust immigration system. NCCIJ identified detained representation as the most critical area of need and chose to make expanding capacity to represent this population a priority. Since early 2016, NCCIJ has also been working closely with a larger statewide coalition to move statewide legislation in support of funded legal representation.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until position is filled. Advancing Justice-ALC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, height, weight, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, HIV status, marital or domestic partner status, or religious affiliation.