DeportationDefenseHouston:LegalAssistant“DeportationDefenseHouston”isaprojectoftheHoustonImmigrationLegalServicesCollaborative,whichbringstogetheracohortofimmigrationlegalservicesproviders(currently,YMCAInternationalServices,BakerRipley,JusticeforOurNeighbors-Houston,andtheSouthTexasCollegeofLawHouston)totakeonaninnovativeandaggressiveapproachtodefendingimmigrantswhoaredetainedwhiletheirremovalproceedingsarepending.Membersofthecohortwillbeworkingasacohortbymeetingregularly,collaborativelyplacingcases,sharingdata,trackingtrends,andadjustingstrategiesasneeded.DeportationDefenseHoustonwillshiftthecultureofthenon-profitimmigrationlegalservicescommunitybyfocusingondetainedrepresentationthroughaninnovativeandcollaborativeapproach,thatincludespublicengagement,theImmigrantRightsHotline,anewdeportationdefenselegalclinic,andimpactlitigation.Thecohortwillalsoworktoeducatepolicy-makersandthepublicaboutthedetentionanddeportationsystemsthroughtoursofthedetentionfacility,presentations,andcommunityoutreach.Organizations(andattorneys)willbeaskedtostepoutoftheircurrentcomfortzonesinordertocreateanew,creativesystemofrepresentationthatisresponsivetotheneedsoftheHoustoncommunity.DDHLegalAssistantTheLegalAssistantwillprovidethedetentionstaffattorneyintheprovisionofhighqualityimmigrationlegalservicestolow-incomedetainedimmigrantsatthethreeHoustonareadetentionfacilities.TheLegalAssistantshouldhaveastrongcommitmenttopublicinterestlawandtotheempowermentofimmigrantcommunities.ResponsibilitiesandDuties:
• Conductclientscreening,intakes,andfollow-upinterviewsatdetentionfacilities.• Meetwithclientstoprepareandreviewapplicationsforfiling;• Receivecaseassignment,organizecasefiles,maintaincaselistfortheattorneyandgenerate
casestatistics;• Maintaincasefilesandupdatethecase-trackingsystem;• Provideinterpretationandtranslationsupportinclientmatters;• Conductresearchinlawandcountryconditionsbackground;• PreparedocumentsandfilesforImmigrationCourt,DHS,andUSCIS;• Conductcommunityoutreachandcommunitylegaleducation;• StafftheImmigrantRightsHotline:answerphone,giveupdatedinformation,respondto
messages;• Collectandprocessin-comingmailandpreparepackagesformailing;• Otherduties,activities,andresponsibilities,asassigned.
RequiredQualificationsandWorkExperience:
• Bachelor’sDegree• Onetotwoyears’workexperienceinlegalservicesorhumanservices(oneyearofrecent
paralegalexperienceinfamily-basedimmigrationorremovaldefensestronglypreferred);• FluencyinEnglishandSpanish(written,spokenandcomprehension);• ExcellentoralandwrittencommunicationskillsinEnglishandSpanish.• Dedicationtoandexperienceinservinglowincomeorimmigrantpopulations;• Strongorganizationalskills,abilitytomanagecaseload,strictdeadlines,andothertasks
simultaneously.• ProficiencyinMSOfficeapplications,especiallyWord,Excel,Outlook,andAccess;• Reliabletransportation,validTexasDriver’sLicenseandevidenceofinsurability
HostorganizationsareEqualEmploymentOpportunityEmployersanddonotdiscriminateonthebasisofrace,color,religion,sex,sexualorientation,nationalorethnicorigin,age,immigrationstatus,disabilityorveteranstatus.Deadlinetoapply:March15,2018Toexpressinterest,pleasesendaresumeandcoverletterto:[email protected]“DDHLegalAssistantJob”inthesubjectline.Pleaseindicateifyouhaveastrongpreferenceforanyoftheparticipatingnon-profitsinyourletter.Youmayalsoapplydirectlytoeachorganizationthroughtheirhiringsites.
