Immigration Habeas Attorney (Staff or Senior Staff)

About the Organization

La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco is a 53-year-old non-profit organization in San Francisco’s Mission District that provides free legal representation to low-income community members and immigrants in the Bay Area and California’s Central Valley detention centers. We assist those in need with services in Immigration Law, Elder & Disability Law, and Workers’ Rights. We pride ourselves on our collaborative, professional, and inclusive culture, and we provide high-quality legal services to the community we serve. Our staff is offered opportunities for professional development, and office culture supports work-life balance.

Position Overview

In 2026, LRCL co-founded the Bay Area Habeas Network (BAHN), a coalition of non-profits who challenge unlawful ICE arrests through filing petitions for writ of habeas corpus in federal court. BAHN attorneys are on-call five days a week to screen and potentially file rapid habeas petitions for people arrested by ICE in the Bay Area. Within a couple of months of launching, BAHN has secured the immediate release of over 20 people who are now home with their families.

The Immigration Habeas Attorney’s primary duty will be to staff weekly on-call shifts for BAHN and file same-day habeas petitions and temporary restraining order motions in the Northern District of California for people who qualify. The attorney will work closely with regional rapid response networks to identify and screen people arrested by ICE. The attorney will also represent people in limited scope immigration matters, such as motions to reopen and pre-deprivation bond hearings. This job is a unique opportunity to become part of an exciting new initiative that is redefining how the legal community holds ICE accountable. This job also has a lot of room for growth and may expand into other types of federal immigration litigation.

This is a fixed-term position ending on April 30, 2027 and the position may be renewed, contingent upon continued funding.

Responsibilities

• Serve one designated day per week as the on-call attorney assigned to file same-day habeas petitions and temporary restraining orders for individuals arrested by ICE in the Bay Area and referred to the BAHN
• Serve as backup coverage and respond to surges for BAHN
• In collaboration with partners, develop new legal theories that expand the availability of habeas relief for people unlawfully detained by ICE
• File other types of immigration cases in federal court as part of a coordinated strategy to bring more judicial review to unlawful agency action
• Participate in all BAHN activities, such as trainings and meetings
• Prepare BAHN grant reports
• Represent people in limited scope immigration matters, such as motions to reopen and pre-deprivation hearings
• Assist LRCL’s immigration programs with consultations, rapid response shifts, and other matters
• Assist in LRCL’s immigrant advocacy efforts
• Support local and national immigrant rights organizing
• Support the work of coalition partners in impact litigation
• Meet regularly with LRCL supervisor and assigned program staff
• Attend LRCL all staff meetings and activities
• Assist with LRCL’s case management systems
• Represent LRCL at meetings, public events, media outreach, and other forums
• Work some nights and weekends

• Group health and dental insurance coverage for employee and eligible dependents
• 13 paid union holidays per year plus a two-week winter break that includes December 25 and New Year’s Day
• Generous vacation and sick leave time
• Comp time
• 3% employer retirement plan match
• Hybrid position; we work in our San Francisco office three days per week
• Union SEIU Local 1021 position

Requirements

• J.D. and CA bar membership
• Spanish language proficiency
• 3+ years of experience representing people in immigration matters
• Prior experience in federal court preferred
• Interest in developing new legal theories and expanding caselaw
• Highly collaborative
• Ability to work independently and take initiative