Hotline Paralegal

IDP is hiring a paralegal who:

• Is excited to support immigrants and their families navigate the complex immigration system and its intersection with the criminal legal system
• Is skilled at managing data and information, and wants to use these skills to advance immigrant rights
• Has a passion for maintaining systems that run a high-volume program and thinks of creative solutions to unexpected challenges                                             

Organization Background

The Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) is a New York City-based nonprofit that works to secure fairness and justice for all immigrants. IDP was founded over twenty-five years ago to address the crisis of escalating criminalization and mass deportation. Our work attacks the injustices at the intersection of the racially-biased criminal and immigration systems via a multi-pronged strategy that includes strengthening immigrant defense through training and expert advice, while challenging unfair laws through impact litigation. IDP also shapes local, state, and federal policy through advocacy, by working alongside communities to build alliances and challenging negative narratives about immigrants through strategic communications and education.

IDP is a relatively small organization with a big impact. Since its inception, IDP has operated a unique legal support hotline that provides cutting edge legal analysis for community members and attorneys, and serves as a clearinghouse for trends around ICE policing practices.  Other organizational achievements include leading successful campaigns to protect immigrants from aggressive deportation tactics and playing an instrumental role in ensuring immigrant New Yorkers receive effective legal immigration advice after arrest.

About the Hotline Program

IDP’s hotline is a national hotline that provides in-depth legal analysis services for immigrants with New York ties who have had contact with the criminal legal system. Yearly, we respond to hundreds of calls from directly impacted individuals, their loved ones, and advocates.  IDP staff answer questions, provide detailed individualized analysis about the impact of the criminal legal system as well as provide referrals for counsel.  Additionally the Hotline Team creates community-facing resources for immigrants and immigration advocates on the overlap of the criminal and immigration systems and provides trainings to legal service providers to help them serve individuals with criminal contacts. 

Position Summary

The Hotline paralegal will join IDP’s Hotline Team, which consists of 3 dedicated attorneys and interacts with IDP staff across-programs. The paralegal will play a key role in supporting our hotline by being the first point of contact for immigrants and advocates who reach out for assistance. The paralegal will work closely with the IDP attorneys under the supervision of a Supervising attorney. Responsibilities include monitoring and returning messages from our hotline, conducting intake interviews by phone, collecting documentation by email and fax, directing calls to attorneys, and maintaining and managing the hotline database. The paralegal will also play a critical role in observing trends of calls and working with the Hotline Team to support the creation of community-facing resources and trainings that are responsive to these trends. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work with immigrants and their families who are seeking legal advice, and as well as  opportunities for creative growth and professional development while in this role.

Job responsibilities

• Manage and respond to requests for assistance via voicemail, email,  online webform submission, and letters from incarcerated individuals.
• Conduct intake interviews with callers over the phone by gathering immigration history, history of criminal contact, and other information as necessary.
• Collect and manage storage of documents submitted by callers and gathered from other sources where necessary.
• Provide referral information to callers where necessary. Maintain relationships with local legal services providers and partner organizations.
• Work with staff attorneys to coordinate emergency assistance, identify potential legal remedies, and analyze trends related to ICE policing and detention.
• Maintain accurate and timely notes about inquiries in an online case management system. Work with staff to manage the case management system to ensure accurate data reporting, identify programmatic successes, and maximize staff efficiency.
• Support IDP staff with creating and updating community-facing materials. Provide or review Spanish translation of materials as necessary.
• Other administrative tasks as needed.

Qualifications

• Oral fluency and ability to send text and emails messages in Spanish is required, ability to translate documents between Spanish and English is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well with people, across cultures and different lived experiences, including people who may be in crisis.
• Ability to work in a high paced-environment.
• Strong communication skills: ability to write well and communicate effectively, specifically over the phone, through letters and email.
• Ability to communicate in a timely and responsive manner with colleagues via phone, slack, email, and Zoom. 
• Strong organizational skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Desire and ability to work in a collaborative, team-based environment.
• Familiarity and comfort with using computers and technology (including using web-based software, case management software like Salesforce, Zoho, etc., Google Suite products like Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc., and Microsoft Excel and Word).
• Personal or professional familiarity with the immigration and/or criminal legal systems, or other comparable experience desirable.
• While not required, we welcome any knowledge of:
• New York City criminal defense and legal service providers 
• Experience creating written resources including powerpoint or Google Slide, public speaking 

Location 

There is a preference for New York City-area candidates; however, applicants who are based elsewhere will be considered. Currently, IDP staff are working from home remotely at least some of the time or in a hybrid model. We are mindful of the need to keep our staff healthy to ensure we can achieve our mission in the long term and believe many people thrive by working remotely and using a flexible schedule. 

Salary and benefits

Salary is commensurate with relevant experience pursuant to IDP’s set compensation structure, ranging from starting at $56,000-60,000 a year. IDP offers a comprehensive benefits package including: 

• 20 vacation days and additional public holidays
• Stipend for cell phone and other work from home expenses 
• Paid six-week sabbatical after 6 years of employment 
• Generous medical and dental benefits
• Commuter benefits, flex spending accounts and generous 401k matching program 
• Yearly home office stipend, monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement and support to attend trainings and CLEs

To apply

We are looking to fill this position with a strong preference for candidates who can start July 1, 2024.  We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible and will begin screening applications and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis. Please submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@immdefense.org with the subject line “Hotline Paralegal.” Three references will be requested for those interviewed. No phone calls please. 

The Immigrant Defense Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively recruits women, people of color, persons with disabilities, persons with diverse gender and sexual identities, immigrants, and formerly incarcerated persons.

IDP offers a comprehensive benefits package including: 

• 20 vacation days and additional public holidays
• Stipend for cell phone and other work from home expenses 
• Paid six-week sabbatical after 6 years of employment 
• Generous medical and dental benefits
• Commuter benefits, flex spending accounts and generous 401k matching program 
• Yearly home office stipend, monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement and support to attend trainings and CLEs

We are looking to fill this position with a strong preference for candidates who can start July 1, 2024. We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible and will begin screening applications and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis. Please submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@immdefense.org with the subject line “Hotline Paralegal.” Three references will be requested for those interviewed. No phone calls please.