Immigration Staff Attorney

Make the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. Make the Road New York operates community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island and White Plains, Westchester County. With a membership of 25,000, MRNY tackles the critical issues facing our communities, including workplace justice, tenants’ rights, immigrant rights and civil rights, TGNCIQ justice, public education, health care access, and immigration reform. (TGNCIQ = transgender, gender non-conforming, intersex and queer).  MRNY is a newly unionized workplace.

MRNY is a multi-service organization.  Our member-led organizing committees -- which work on the issues named above -- implement strategies to combat shared problems, and develop leadership and the capacity for civic participation. We also provide an array of high-quality bilingual services: We offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Spanish-language literacy, computer literacy, citizenship preparation, and in-school and after-school youth programs. We have a robust legal program that offers direct representation across a spectrum of practice areas, including employment law, immigration law, housing and benefits, and TGNCIQ civil rights; we also take on impact litigation as a strategy for achieving broad change. Our health program offers facilitated enrollment into health insurance programs and SNAP benefits, a community health worker home visit program, nutrition education and emergency food pantries, health care navigation, and more."

Current Opening:

We are hiring an attorney to join our dynamic immigration team. The attorney will work with our raid’s response team, which provides representation and support to community members with final orders of removal in close collaboration with our immigration organizers, while also fully integrating into our team’s immigration practice. Please note that Make the Road is currently operating under a hybrid model where staff are required to be in the office a minimum of three days per week. This policy is subject to change.  The position will be based out of one of our community centers in Brooklyn, Queens, or Staten Island, which will be determined when the position is filled. Additionally, the person filling this role will, from time to time, be required to travel across our offices to attend trainings, meetings, and other work-related matters, including to meet with clients. This position is a bargaining unit position.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Providing individualized assistance and representation to clients detained by ICE or at imminent risk of ICE detention and who have orders of removal in (1) advice and counsel regarding legal options, based on interviews, document review, research and legal analysis, and (2) full representation or pro se assistance in a broad range of applications and requests including preparation for Credible or Reasonable Fear Interviews; motions to reopen before the Immigration Court or Board of Immigration Appeals; motions to vacate prior orders by ICE or CBP; collateral or affirmative applications such as I130, I212, and I601A applications; bond hearings and custody advocacy with ICE; and Petitions for Review and habeas litigation in federal court.
• Respond to referrals as necessary and manage a case load of detained and nondetained cases with responsiveness to urgent deadlines and client needs.
• Contribute to the work of our general immigration practice through sharing knowledge and collaboration.
• Assisting in community education efforts, including through the creation of written materials, KYR presentations, and popular education workshops.
• Supporting MRNY members and organizing campaigns through strategic litigation, legislative advocacy, research, media work, and action support.
• Participating in team and department meetings; meetings with external partners; and assisting with tracking and highlighting cases as necessary for development and grant reporting.
• Continuous learning regarding movement lawyering (theory and application) as well as other critical concepts that underscore our organizational approach to building power, such as racialized capitalism.

Qualifications:

• Eligible to work in the US 
• At least 2 years of immigration legal practice experience. Any applicant who has been practicing in the field for at least five years post-Juris Doctor will be considered for the role of “Senior Staff Attorney.”
• Admission (or eligibility for admission) to practice law in New York State or the possibility of waiving into the state.
• Spanish language proficiency sufficient to work with clients in Spanish without translation assistance.  
• Experience with populations that make up major portions of Make the Road’s membership – such as documented and undocumented immigrants, individuals facing domestic violence, members of TGNCIQ communities, those who have experienced the criminal legal system, and youth.

Job Competencies:

• Self-starter with strong organizational skills and strong attention to detail
• Be highly ethical, professional, and team oriented with a passion for excellence and eagerness to help the department meet our goals.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and complete assignments under strict deadlines with minimal supervision in a fast paced environment.
• Ability to work under pressure required.
• Strong legal writing and research skills.
• Flexible work schedule, some evenings or weekends required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• High level of accountability and initiative; needs to be a self-starter and eager to do team work to support the organization as a whole
• Relevant lived experience, including, but not limited to, having been a member of a low-income, immigrant community

Salary and Benefits:

MRNY offers an excellent benefit package including health insurance, 401K, and generous paid vacation, sick, personal days. The salary range for this position will be from $82,500 to $92,000

To Apply:

Please apply with a cover letter and resume at  the Make the Road New York's Career Center.

Make the Road believes that social change is best achieved through grassroots community-based organizing that flows directly from and engages the community demanding the change. As a membership-based organization, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, criminal history, or Veteran status. We strongly encourage those from historically excluded groups to apply.