Program Associate

Immigrant Defenders Law Center ("ImmDef") is a next-generation, social justice law firm that provides high-quality representation and legal services to immigrants in Southern California and beyond. ImmDef was founded with the belief that no immigrant should be forced to face an unjust immigration system alone and our universal representation programs are a first step towards that goal. ImmDef represents thousands of adults, children and families annually who have multi-faceted, complex and urgent legal needs as they face our unjust immigration system. Learn more about us at

ImmDef is currently seeking full-time program associate to join the Detained Youth Empowerment Project (DYEP). Through this innovative program, every year ImmDef provides Know Your Rights classes and legal screenings to over 1,000 unaccompanied children in shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. Reporting to the DYEP Program Coordinator, the DYEP Program Associate is primarily responsible for providing information to detained minors about their rights in the U.S. Additionally, the DYEP Program Associate is responsible for better preparing detained minors for the immigration court process and assisting in acquiring pro bono legal representation.

Essential Functions

• Traveling to Office of Refugee Resettlement shelters or foster-care program offices to provide legal services to unaccompanied children, approximately three days per week.
• Conducting Know Your Rights (KYR) presentations so that detained youth understand their rights and responsibilities while in ORR custody, after their release to a sponsor, and while in immigration proceedings.
• Conduct child-friendly and trauma-informed legal screenings with detained youth to assess their eligibility for immigration benefits and long-term foster care, and screen for human trafficking indicators.
• Assess children's needs while in ORR care, make referrals to child advocates, and flag cases for follow-up with the ImmDef legal team.
• Offer and initiate representation with minors who are reunifying locally, to be represented by ImmDef's team of Children's Representation attorneys.
• Prepare detained minors for their immigration court hearings.
• Provide culturally competent and language-appropriate services to minors, working with interpreters as needed.
• Update program databases and case management systems to track services provided to each child, interpreter use, and biographic data.
• Work collaboratively to ensure all minors in ORR care are provided timely services, and provide coverage, support, mentoring and training to other team members as needed.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the DYEP directors and coordinators.

Required Education and Experience

• A bachelor's degree or higher preferred;
• A high school diploma or equivalent, plus lived experience as an unaccompanied minor, or 3 years of related experience is acceptable;
• Strong writing, research, and organizational skills required;
• Enthusiasm for working at a mission driven organization and passion for social justice for immigrants required;

Preferred Experience

• Experience working with children and youth, incarcerated persons, vulnerable populations or persons suffering from mental competency issues;
• Experience working at a public interest law firm, nonprofit, or community-based organization;
• Demonstrated ability to work within a high-volume busy office environment preferred;
• DACA Recipients encouraged to apply

Level of Language Proficiency

• Spanish proficiency is required and will be tested at time of interview.

You can learn more about our programs at

Immigrant Defenders Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Due to the large number of applicants, we are unable to respond to every applicant and will only contact those who are invited to interview for the position.

This position is part of the ImmDef employee union bargaining unit.

Compensation is $22.86/hour to $29.71/hour DOE.

Benefits:

Schedule:

• ImmDef's standard work schedule is 35 hours per week, or 70 hours per pay period.
• Flexible scheduling options including hybrid and compressed schedules that allow DYEP staff to take up to one day off per pay period without needing to use paid time off.
• Hybrid Work Schedule: Staff in non-exempt positions at ImmDef are expected to be at an ImmDef worksite a minimum of 4 days per week, with 1 day per week available to work remotely. Additionally, DYEP team members are often permitted to work from home after completing ORR shelter visits.

Holidays and Paid Time Off :

• 13 paid holidays
• 1-Week paid winter break between Christmas and New Years
• 15 vacation days per year
• 15 Sick Days per year

Health, Dental and Vision Insurance:

• ImmDef provides health coverage on the first of the month following 30 days on the job.
• We cover 100% of premiums for our base dental and vision plans for our staff members and 75% of base plan dental and vision premiums for their dependents. ImmDef also covers 98% of the base plan medical premiums for our staff and 73% of the base plan medical premiums for their dependents.

FSA and Dependent Care FSA:

• ImmDef offers FSA plans to help offset the costs of eligible health care expenses for you, your spouse, and your eligible dependents using pre-tax dollars
• We also offer Dependent Care FSA to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as preschool, summer day camp, before or after school programs, and child or adult daycare.
• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes six (6) weeks of ImmDef paid leave.

401(k) Retirement Savings Plan & Employer Matching:

• ImmDef staff are eligible to enroll in our 401(k) plans immediately upon hire, contributing pre-tax dollars towards their retirement goals
• After six months on staff, ImmDef will match 100% of contributions up to 3% of the employee's salary
• Funds are vested immediately

Public Service Loan Forgiveness:

• As a 501(c)3, full-time ImmDef staff with qualifying student loans are eligible for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Parking and Public Transportation Stipends:

• Staff members assigned to an office without free on-site parking are eligible to receive a parking stipend of up to $100 per month in actual accrued parking or transportation costs.
• Staff in all offices are eligible to receive a public transportation stipend of up to $100 per month in actual accrued public transportation costs.

Cell Phone Stipends:

• ImmDef provides a $15 monthly cell phone stipend to staff members whose job duties require them to consistently work at sites outside of ImmDef offices, or travel between ImmDef worksites, and whose jobs require use of their personal cell phones or communications that cannot be accomplished with ImmDef-issued equipment.