Job Responsibilities:
1. Appeals: The Legal Intern will assist with ongoing appeals at the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and federal circuit courts. This involves handling cases related to asylum/Convention Against Torture, the intersection of criminal and immigration law (often referred to as "crimmigration"), and immigration detention. Responsibilities include assessing new referrals, conducting legal research, writing memoranda, and contributing to amicus and merits briefing.
2. Habeas Petitions: The intern will aid in drafting habeas petitions to secure the release of immigrant adults from detention. This includes preparing habeas cases for placement with pro bono partners, conducting legal research, interviewing clients in detention via phone, collecting evidence, and collaborating with community advocacy groups.
3. FOIA Litigation: The intern will assist with litigation under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Tasks include drafting FOIA requests and complaints, researching the applicability of FOIA exemptions, and tracking/analyzing FOIA production.
4. Resources, Trainings, and Practice Advisories: The intern will help develop website resources, conduct trainings, and draft practice advisories. These efforts are aimed to support and educate attorneys who work with immigrants in detention, and may involve working on crimmigration case analyses and developing public resources.
Education and Experience Information:
- Candidates should be a rising second or third-year law student at a U.S. ABA-accredited law school. Evening students are also eligible to apply.
- Applicants should have strong legal research, communication, and writing skills, along with organizational and time-management capabilities.
- Experience and interest in immigration law, immigrants’ rights, or related fields such as social justice and advocacy are important.
- Competency in working with adults and children from low socio-economic backgrounds, with histories of trauma and previous interactions with the criminal justice system, is required.
- A background in community organizing/political lobbying is advantageous but not mandatory.
- Spanish fluency is preferred but not required. Fluency in other languages like French, Portuguese, or Arabic is also welcome.
Salary Information:
- The internship is unpaid. However, Amica Center offers support for students seeking internship credit or funding.
- Amica Center provides a scholarship opportunity for prospective interns. Four $1,000 tax-free scholarships are available for educational and professional development purposes.
Additional Information:
- The internship is remote, allowing applicants from various geographic locations to apply, including those from law schools outside the D.C. area.
- Interns are not required to conduct in-person work but may have opportunities to appear in or observe court in person, adhering to Amica Center’s COVID-19 policies.
- Required resources for the internship include access to a laptop or computer, reliable internet, and a phone. Amica Center may provide temporary access to a laptop if needed.
