Immigration Intern - Summer 2023

Job Description

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 28 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. Domestically, our 28 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency.

SCOPE OF WORK

IRC's Immigration Department in Silver Spring, Maryland provides high quality, low-cost immigration services, including filing applications for adjustment of status (i.e. green cards), work authorization, naturalization, and family reunification for refugees, asylees, victims of trafficking and other immigrants.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Facilitate adjustment of status applications with humanitarian immigrants by preparing documents and communicating with clients about application requirements. - Perform research on immigration issues, polices and programs. - Promote the IRC’s immigration department through online and local networks. - Build partnerships with local agencies to improve provision of immigration services. - Provide administrative support to the Immigration team including tracking, filing, and mailing relevant documents applications, and notices of action. - Assist clients with document translation, authentication, presentation and completion.

Learning Objectives:

- Interns will gain exposure to local refugee and asylee community. - Interns will understand the various immigration processes and procedures refugees and asylees encounter. - Interns will experience working in a multicultural office environment.

Qualifications

- Minimum commitment of three months and at least 18-20 hours per week. 35 hours per week preferred. - Ability to work in-person preferred. - Spanish, French, Dari, and/or Pashto fluency is a plus. - Passion to work with diverse and limited-English speaking refugees. - Interest and/or work experience in U.S Immigration law (Prior experience in immigration is a plus). - Excellent research, language, database management and record keeping skills.

TO APPLY

Click Apply Now at the top of this page. Please attach a resume, cover letter and list of (at least) three references to your application. This position is filled on a rolling basis.

IRC Silver Spring is operating in a hybrid work setting. Summer 2023 interns may intern in-person, hybrid or fully remote.

This position is for summer 2023 and requires a minimum commitment of 3 months and 18-20 hours a week. 35 hours per week preferred. Ability to work in-person preferred.

We currently offer internships during the following semesters:

Spring: January – May

Summer: May – August

Fall: September – December

Internships are typically posted 2-3 months prior to the anticipated start date.

Note: Internships with the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring are unpaid. Summer 2023 interns may be eligible for per diem reimbursement at the rate of $15/day to offset the costs of food and travel. School credit may be received depending on your program and institution. For information on scholarship opportunities, contact your university or the IRC Silver Spring intern coordinator at [email protected].

*Candidates applying not enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program and outside of 12 months from graduation are welcome to apply. These candidates will be processed as volunteers.

To protect our clients, the IRC requires all selected applicants to complete background checks. We ask that you make a $30 donation to help us cover the associated costs. Currently, 87% of our funding goes directly to programming to support our clients, and your help to cover this cost will ensure that no funding is directed away from serving our clients. Instructions will be provided after you have been selected to intern or volunteer.

IRC leading the way from harm to home.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you need assistance in the application or hiring process to accommodate a disability, you may request an accommodation at any time. Please contact Talent Acquisitions at [email protected]. As required by law, the IRC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with a known disability.