Sr. Staff or Staff Attorney, Immigrant Rights

The Opportunity

The Asian Law Caucus (ALC) seeks a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney to join its Immigrant Rights Program at a critical moment for immigrant communities. As we anticipate increased enforcement and policy changes targeting immigrants, we are strengthening our legal team to protect vulnerable populations and defend civil rights.

Join our dynamic team in advocating for economic justice through a combination of community-centered legal advocacy, strategic litigation, and support for worker organizing. Our attorneys work closely with worker centers and community partners to build lasting power for low-income immigrant workers.

Core responsibilities include:

• Providing legal consultation and representation in high-stakes removal and bond proceedings, and appeals before the BIA and 9th circuit;
• Filing complex motions to reopen, habeas petitions seeking release from ICE detention, and constitutional challenges to ICE enforcement practices and detention conditions;.
• Collaborating with grassroots partners to support organizing efforts, policy advocacy and community empowerment work.

The position reflects our commitment to integrating legal advocacy with movement building to create systemic change. You’ll work within a supportive environment that values innovation, collaboration, and community partnership, under the guidance of our Immigrant Rights Program Director.

The Organization

Founded in 1972, the Asian Law Caucus is the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization serving low-income Asian and Pacific Islander communities. We bring together legal services, community empowerment, and policy advocacy to fight for immigrant justice, economic security, and a stronger, multiracial democracy. We are committed to serving the vast diversity of communities of Asian descent, including Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim communities. Our fights for justice and equity are deeply informed by and in solidarity with fights for liberation by and for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities.

Our growing staff works collaboratively across six issue areas. Our work is rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area and California and expands to states across the country, including places where immigrant, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander communities are rapidly growing.

Responsibilities

Day-to-day activities include the following:

• Conduct interviews and provide legal advice to individuals facing immigration consequences based on criminal convictions, including those who are incarcerated or detained.
• Manage caseload of crim-imm removal cases, providing high-quality legal representation to clients in removal proceedings, petitions for review, bond proceedings, and motions to reopen.
• Identify systemic problems through direct services work and participate in resulting litigation, policy advocacy, and community-led campaign efforts
• Engage in habeas litigation in federal court to secure clients’ release from immigration detention.
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners, including providing immigration legal support as capacity allows.
• Represent ALC in coalitions as needed.
• Collaborate with Communications staff to develop stories with ALC clients and their communities and execute narrative-shifting strategies.
• Collaborate with other staff in the IR Program to perform other duties as needed.
• Attend regular check-ins with supervisors, as well as staff, team, cross-program team, and organization-wide meetings and training sessions, as required.

An attorney hired at the Senior Staff Attorney level will exercise a greater degree of independence and initiative.

All ALC staff are expected to participate in regular check-in meetings with their supervisor/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required.

Desired Qualifications

• B.A./B.S. and J.D. degrees. California bar membership required
• Two (2) or more years of immigration law practice required, preferably in one or more of the following areas: crim-imm removal defense, habeas petitions, and/or impact litigation; five (5) or more years of relevant experience is required for a Senior staff Attorney and highly desired.
• Prior experience in prison, criminal justice, or immigrant rights advocacy, including coalition-building, policy work, and/or post-conviction relief is desired.
• Excellent legal research, analysis, and writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team and manage multiple tasks in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated commitment to building power with and for people directly impacted by the immigration and carceral system.
• Experience working directly with incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals and API and AMEMSA community members impacted by the immigration legal system is highly desired.
• Familiarity with the intersection of immigration status and other issues, such as national security, employment and housing, is a plus
• Proficiency in an Asian or Middle Eastern language, or Spanish is a plus.