Undergraduate Internship- Detained Adult Program, Legal Orientation Program

Who We Are 

The Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition is now Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (“Amica Center” for short). Click here to learn more about our new name. Since our founding in 1999, we have grown significantly and added new services to support immigrants in detention. Recently, Amica Center has outgrown our name, expanding beyond our initial services and geographic boundaries.

“Amica” is the Latin word for “friend,” and that echoes the way we approach what we do. Just as friends stand with one another, Amica Center stands with our clients to achieve the safety, stability, and opportunity we all deserve.

We are the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area that is exclusively focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region and beyond.

Position Summary 

We are currently accepting applications for Spring 2025. Our Spring Internship Program requires a commitment of 15-20 hours a week for at least 10 weeks, starting on or about January 13, 2025. 

Applicants from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. If relevant, please discuss in your application how your background motivates your interest in this position or otherwise affects your career goals. 

Internships are unpaid; however, Amica Center can assist students seeking internship credit or funding.

Scholarship Opportunity:

Amica Center for Immigrant Rights invites all prospective interns to apply for the Amica Center Scholarship for the Spring 2025 semester. Amica Center will distribute four $1,000 tax-free* scholarships to eligible interns for the primary purpose of educational and professional development. To learn more, please visit https://amicacenter.org/join-the-fight/careers-internships/. 

*Scholarship funds are intended to be used to pay for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an educational institution, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the institution. Scholarship recipients are advised to speak to a tax-expert and report the scholarship funds in their gross income to the IRS.

Remote Work:

To keep our internships accessible to all students regardless of geographic location, all Spring 2025 internships may be remote. We encourage applicants from local law schools and those from outside the D.C. area to apply. There is no requirement that interns conduct any in-person work during their internships, but interns may have the opportunity to appear in or observe court in person. There will be opportunities for in-office work, in-person meetings, and events with staff and fellow interns in compliance with Amica Center’s COVID-19 policies.

General Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Enter intakes and messages from jail visit onto our client database 
• Assist on preparation and breakdown for monthly jail visit 
• Staff the detention hotline 
• Research political, economic, and social country conditions articles for pro se asylum applicants 
• Prepare other informational materials distributed at each jail visit 
• Prepare documents for filing in immigration court 

Occasional Responsibilities:

• Participate in weekly review of intakes from jails/detention centers
• Attend training opportunities within the office 
• Shadow trial prep and other various case follow up on a jail visit, through video teleconference, phone, or written messages 
• Expand our country conditions database 
• Observe immigration court hearings
• Filing and other administrative assistance as needed

APPLICATION PROCESS: 

To be considered for the internship, please fill out the application link below and attach the following materials in .pdf format to your Paylocity application. 

• A cover letter indicating your interest in the position. Please describe what experiences, personal and professional, have motivated you to apply. 
• A resume;
• At least 2 references; and 
• A writing sample. In addition to legal memoranda and briefs, research papers and articles are accepted. Only one writing sample is required and preferred.

Please apply to ONLY ONE department within Amica Center. For example, if you apply for this internship with the Immigration Impact Lab, please do not also apply for an internship with the Detained Adult Program. Please choose the department that best matches your preference, skills, and experience.

 DEADLINE TO APPLY: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Internship application will be open until October 31, 2024. 

 Qualifications: 

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program 
• Must be 18 or older 
• Spanish Intermediate skills or fluency is strongly preferred
• Ability to work well both individually and as part of a team 
• Ability and/or prior experience to relate to and work with low-income clients with histories of trauma and/or previous interactions with the criminal justice system is a plus. 
• Detail oriented 
• Self-starter 

Required Resources: 

• A laptop or computer (*); 
• Reliable internet; and 
• A phone 

*Amica Center may be able to provide access to a temporary laptop as needed.