The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is seeking a full-time policy attorney to represent the ILRC in Washington D.C. on immigration policy issues and to advocate for policies and laws that advance the rights of immigrants. The ILRC is a national nonprofit legal support center located in San Francisco, California, Central Valley, California, and Washington, D.C. Founded in 1979, we specialize in immigration law, policy, and immigrants’ rights. The ILRC is a team-based organization that makes most of its decisions in a collaborative fashion that allows for significant staff input. The organization’s work concentrates on three main program areas: (1) building the capacity of attorneys, paralegals, organizers,service providers, immigrants, and others by providing legal technical assistance, trainings, and publications; (2) assisting immigrants with civic engagement projects to help expand immigrants’ rights and political power; and (3) conducting policy and advocacy work related to immigration law and immigrants’ rights.
This position’s primary focus involves lobbying members of Congress and the Administration for changes to, and in the implementation of, immigration laws and policies, partnering with other national advocacy groups and community and immigrant-based organizations, and providing legislative and regulatory analysis and technical assistance. It is a priority for the ILRC to bring unique perspectives to Washington D.C. advocacy efforts by focusing on issues relating to immigration enforcement and the intersection between immigration and criminal law, lifting up the views of immigrant led and immigrant based organizations, and sharing California stakeholder perspectives on immigration law and policy.
Specifically the immigration policy attorney will:
Coordinate, lead, and participate in advocacy meetings with Congressional and executive branch staff to communicate and advance ILRC’s policy priorities and recommendations on a variety of immigration issues (e.g. DACA, enforcement, administrative relief, naturalization/citizenship, legislative reform, immigration consequences of crimes, unaccompanied minors, etc.).
Educate and influence Congressional members’ views on immigration issues through conducting legislative visits, providing technical assistance, and sharing information.
Track legislation and policy developments, and provide analysis of key parts of proposed legislation and policies.
Draft key parts of immigration-related legislation.
Share ILRC’s views and expertise on immigration issues, including but not limited to immigration reform and policies, immigration enforcement, and the intersection of immigration and criminal law, with national advocacy and community based organizations and networks.
Develop advocacy and community education materials (fact sheets, talking points, proposed legislative language, statements, letters, formal advocacy guides, etc.) for
Congressional and government audiences, ILRC staff, community leaders, immigrants, and other partners.
Develop and maintain relationships with organizations led by immigrants or significantly composed of immigrants and provide ways to collaborate with them and help them elevate their priorities in advocacy efforts in Washington D.C.
Build and maintain relationships with other national advocacy organizations to develop creative and collaborative advocacy strategies.
Qualifications: The successful applicant is required to have:
A law degree.
A current Bar membership in good standing of any U.S. state or the District of Columbia.
Knowledge of immigration laws and policies.
Interest in issues pertaining to immigration enforcement and the intersection of immigration and criminal law.
Knowledge of federal legislative and regulatory processes, including the ability to track and interpret legislation.
Experience in public legislative and/or administrative advocacy.
Familiarity with nonprofit advocacy work.
Experience and interest in partnering with and supporting organizations led by and/or composed of immigrants and/or limited English speakers.
Exceptional time management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects.
A willingness to travel to the ILRC’s office in San Francisco, and throughout the U.S.
Ability to maintain and nurture collegial relationships with the full range of partners including Members of Congress, congressional staff, executive branch officials, coalition
partners, and immigrant based organizations.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking skills, and demonstrated ability to translate technical material for a variety of audiences.
Skills in synthesizing and communicating complex policy issues, including the ability to
convey ILRC’s principles on a variety of issues, in a succinct and compelling way and tailored to various audiences.
A strong work ethic, including the following qualities: organized, flexible, reliable, goal-oriented, and dependable, with the ability to be an independent worker and handle several projects simultaneously while thriving in a team-based collaborative decision-making environment.
It is a plus if the applicant has additional experience including:
Experience representing immigrants before the Executive Office of Immigration Appeals and the USCIS.
Second language proficiency, preferably Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese, within the range of conversational to fluent.
Knowledge of the U.S. criminal justice system.
Salary/Benefits: Pay is commensurate with experience. The ILRC provides competitive salaries, excellent benefits including professional membership dues, health/dental/vision insurance, a flexible spending account for medical and dependent care, vacation, and sick leave. The ILRC sponsors a retirement plan option upon fulfillment of eligibility.
Applications: This position will remain open until it is filled. We will consider applications on an ongoing basis beginning immediately. To ensure consideration of your application, please
submit a cover letter explaining your qualifications for the position and salary requirement, a resume, two writing samples – one sample that demonstrates immigration law knowledge and a second sample that shows business correspondence acumen — and the names of three references.
Please send your application to:
Policy Attorney Hiring Committee
ILRC
1663 Mission Street, Suite 602 San Francisco, CA 94103
Fax: (415) 255-9792 (no calls, please)
Job_attorney@ilrc.org