IRP - NY Summer 2013 Undergraduate Internship-Immigrants’ Rights Project

SUMMER 2013 INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
NOTICE TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION
Immigrants' Rights Project, NY

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with more than 500,000 members and is dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The Immigrants' Rights Project (IRP) of the ACLU's National Offices in New York City invites applicants for the Summer 2013 Undergraduate Internship, which will begin in June 2013.

OVERVIEW

The Immigrants' Rights Project (IRP) is a national project of the American Civil Liberties Union with offices in New York and California. Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy and public outreach, the Project carries on the ACLU's commitment to protecting the rights and liberties of immigrants. In federal district and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, the Project conducts the nation's largest impact litigation program dedicated to defending and expanding the rights of immigrants, enforcing the guarantees of the Constitution, and achieving equal justice under the law.

The Project has focused on challenging laws that deny immigrants access to the judicial system, impose indefinite and mandatory detention, and constitute discrimination on the basis of "alienage" by governmental and private entities. In addition, the Project has been challenging constitutional abuses that arise from immigration enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels, including litigation against worksite and home raids, local anti-immigrant employment and housing laws, and improper enforcement of federal immigration laws by local sheriffs. IRP's efforts in the enforcement arena seek to ensure the constitutional protections of the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, combat racial profiling arising from actual or pretextual immigration enforcement that subjects immigrant communities to racism and hostility, and challenge government policies and practices that undermine or deny immigrants' ability to effectuate their existing legal rights.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

The Internship requires a 10-12 week commitment. The internship is 20-25 hours per week, with weekly hours negotiable. Since this is an unpaid internship, students are highly encouraged to seek funding from outside sources. Arrangements can also be made with the student's school for a work/study stipend or course credit.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Interns will work under the direct supervision of the Project's Office Manager and Paralegals and will have the opportunity to work with attorneys and other staff of the Immigrants' Rights Project on a range of significant issues and projects. The work will include:

Conducting factual research.

Developing web-based informational updates.

Providing assistance to the department.

Responding to inquiries from persons seeking legal assistance.

Assisting in the maintenance of case files and compiling of press files.

Tracking current legislation related to immigration.

Working on other projects as assigned.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Commitment to civil liberties and immigrants' rights.

Strong interest in social justice and legal issues.

Excellent writing and communication skills.

Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research and facility with Microsoft Office Suite.

Proficiency in Spanish a plus.

Demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion.

Ability to perform administrative tasks as well as research and writing.