Immigration Legal Assistant

Immigration Legal Assistant

Classification: Non-Exempt

Salary Grade/Level/Family/Range: $40,000 - $45,000

Reports to: Immigration Services Program Manager

Date: 11/20/23

JOB DESCRIPTION

Summary

Inspiritus’ Refugee & Immigrant Services (RIS) Department works to build welcoming communities for refugees and immigrants and accompanies newcomers on a path from surviving to thriving. RIS provides supportive, supplemental, and legal services to the refugee and immigrant community in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Immigration Legal Assistant performs administrative tasks as required for the functioning of the Immigration Services program.

Essential Functions

Under the supervision of a licensed or accredited legal practitioner, the Immigration Legal Assistant will:

• Provide clients with information about immigration benefits available through USCIS, work with clients to gather documents, and assist clients to complete applications.
•  Respond to inquiries from clients regarding case status and submit inquiries on case status to USCIS and/or Department of State (DOS). 
• Process correspondence from USCIS and DOS, including notifying clients, assisting clients to prepare responses to notices or evidence requests as appropriate, and following up with relevant parties. 
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date physical and electronic files and detailed case notes, enter required data in a timely manner, meet all case reporting requirements within established timelines and standards, and assist in the completion of statistical, narrative, and financial reports. 
• Receive and return phone calls and emails from  Inspiritus clients, community members, and partners.
• Schedule appointments, supporting events (including group processing events), and conduct outreach for legal services. 
• Maintain strict client confidentiality and observe all other ethical practices/obligations as outlined in Inspiritus’s Immigration Program Policies. 
• Pursue Department of Justice accreditation by successfully completing all vital trainings.
• Manage intern and volunteer support as needed.
• May assist with translation of documents, forms, letters and affidavits.
• Participate in regular team meetings, working cooperatively with other team members to guide program growth.
• Comply with and adhere to agency Security Policy and HIPAA laws.
• Maintain personal and professional boundaries in the performance of the job.
• Forge mutually respectful partnerships with clients, co-workers, and volunteers.
• Participate in training and professional conferences to keep abreast of current trends.
• Conform with and abides by all regulations, policies, work procedures, and instructions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Leadership
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
• Cultural Competence
• Demonstrate Ethical & Professional Behavior
• Advance Human Rights and Social and Economic Justice
• Initiative
• Stress Tolerance
• Adaptability & Flexibility
• Partnership & Relationship Management

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Work Environment
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands
Regularly required to talk and hear in person and on the telephone. Required to stand, walk, sit, use hand to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls: and reach with hands and arms to operate computer and other office equipment. Required to operate a personal vehicle. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  
Required Education and Experience

• Associate degree or bachelor's degree and minimum of two years of previous direct work experience in culturally diverse environment or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
•  Documented experience planning and organizing appointment schedules.
• Experience working with people from a variety of cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Ability to write, read, and speak English fluently.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, email, and the Internet.
• Ability to forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families in which they are helped to gain the skills and confidence to address any issues and problems they face.
• Conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
• Ability to work in partnership with other team members.
• Ability to set limits and maintain the helping role of the practitioner and to intervene appropriately to meet the needs of the persons served or other family members.
• Must have the ability to communicate with all persons in a culturally competent manner.
• Must be sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Fluency in a language spoken by service recipients (such as, but not limited to Spanish, Amharic, Dari, Pashto, Swahili, Burmese, Arabic French, Haitian- Creole) 
• College degree in a relevant field such as international studies, foreign language, etc.
• Experience working with international persons and human service programs.
• Working knowledge of LollyLaw immigration case management software

Additional Eligibility Qualifications
None required for this position. 

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.