Immigration Paralegal

PASO – West Suburban Action Project (Proyecto de Acción de los Suburbios del Oeste) is a community-based social justice organization that works to engage community members to address issues that affect them, their families, and neighbors with the mission to build stronger communities where all residents can live dignified lives regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic or immigration status. PASO was founded in March 2009 to fight for immigrant rights in west suburban Cook County and other collar counties, and its mission is to develop the leadership skills of the immigrant community so they can organize, create opportunities and exercise their collective power.

PASO is based in Melrose Park, Illinois, and primarily serves the western Cook County suburbs. PASO has been well-positioned to serve as a one-stop shop for direct services for new immigrants, refugees, and asylees. All 12 current staff share a Latino cultural background with the community served and speak Spanish, in order to most effectively serve members of the Spanish-speaking community with limited English proficiency (LEP). PASO helps clients apply for a variety of benefits, provides health education and support, helps clients exercise their rights as tenants, and helps them navigate labor rights and employment issues.

Restarting PASO’s Legal Services

As part of an organizational restructure in 2020, PASO’s Legal Services, which had served clients for 5 years, was paused. Given the significant need from immigrant communities in the western suburbs, we are relaunching PASO’s legal services program and are looking for an immigration paralegal to support PASO’s immigration legal clinic. Services may include but are not limited to: naturalization & citizenship processing, permanent residency, adjustment of status, consular processing, family petition, re-entry permits, DACA renewals, U Visa and T Visa, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), asylum, removal defense, humanitarian parole, and special immigrant juvenile visas.

The ideal candidate is an experienced paralegal who has worked on a variety of immigration legal issues and is passionate about supporting the immigrant community. The ideal candidate has worked for a DOJ accredited immigration legal service organization and is accredited or willing to be accredited themselves. They are ready to work alongside the staff attorney and relaunch a legal clinic serving the residents of West Cook Cook. This person must be eager to lead and to create new systems as the legal clinic relaunches.

This position is in person and based in Melrose Park, Illinois.

Reports to: Staff Attorney

RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinic Services

• Completes intake interviews with potential clients and provides case summary to the attorney.
• Determine and verify prospective client's eligibility to participate in services
• Serve as the main point of contact between client and attorney.
• Obtain and help clients fill out any necessary immigration forms and applications
• Communicates and updates clients through the process on progress and next steps. Clearly articulate potentially complex issues in a way that the client can understand
• Supports the attorney on relevant critical immigration paperwork and administrative matters
• Complete any required immigration and case research
• Maintain accurate and complete client files
• Support any necessary translation and interpretation

Workshops

• Plan and lead workshops and trainings including citizenship classes and Know Your Rights trainings
• Collaborate with PASO staff to ensure target outreach goals
• Supports the training of potential volunteers

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• At least 2 years of experience working as a paralegal
• DOJ accredited or willingness to work towards certification within hiring
• Clear understanding of immigration law. Be fluent around specific immigration forms and applications
• Strong clerical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Able to work with clients compassionate from diverse backgrounds
• Able to handle multiple cases at once and able to work independently to meet deadlines

COMPENSATION:

Salary of $65,000 annually and benefits include 100% employee coverage of medical, dental and vision insurance. Cell phone and mileage reimbursement. Generous time off and flexibility.

TO APPLY:

Please send a resume and a cover letter to hiring@pasoaction.org. To ensure prompt attention, put “Immigration Paralegal” in the subject line. The deadline for applications is January 24th, 2025

Equal Opportunity:

PASO is an equal opportunity employer. PASO does not discriminate against or tolerate harassment of any employee because of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, or any other basis prohibited by law, or protected activity under the anti-discrimination statutes.

Women, LGBTQIA people, and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.