Legal Internship – Summer 2026

About NJCIC

NJCIC works with New Jersey’s young immigrants and their allies to advance their full, fearless participation in our society. NJCIC seeks lawful status for immigrant youth and advocates for system-wide change in the areas of education, access to justice, and health equity. Our Legal Program provides direct immigration legal services to youth under 21 in removal defense and applications for asylum, SIJS and other benefits, and serves as the intake and referral hub for all unaccompanied children seeking help from a state-funded program providing free representation in immigration court. We empower immigrant youth and families by conducting Know Your Rights sessions and developing youth-oriented educational materials. We improve representation and advocacy on behalf of immigrant youth by convening trainings and bimonthly provider meetings. More information about our work is available at www.njcic.org.

Internship Description

• Under the supervision of the Legal Director and Managing Attorney, and in collaboration with the Senior Staff Attorney or Staff Attorney, the intern will work directly with NJCIC’s youth clients and their caregivers to prepare applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, work authorization and related benefits. The intern will gain experience interviewing clients, drafting affidavits and briefs, preparing forms and documentary evidence, preparing clients for testimony, and maintaining client communication. The intern may also assist in conducting trauma-informed pre-screenings of callers to our intake line to determine their eligibility for free representation. The intern will have the opportunity to observe proceedings in immigration court and attend any court hearings that may be scheduled during their internship term. Additionally, NJCIC’s legal projects include Florecer, a medical-legal partnership in collaboration with a Zufall Health, a federally qualified health center, Beacon, an educational-legal partnership with Jersey City public schools, and a Rapid Response Initiative focused on providing direct legal representation or advice and counsel to young immigrants at high risk of removal from the U.S. or at high risk of aging out of eligibility for immigration relief. We anticipate that the intern will have an opportunity to participate in some aspects of these innovative programs. The intern may also assist in the development of community education materials for children and families that provide plain-language explanations of what to expect during the immigration process. The intern will have the unique opportunity to gain a big picture perspective on the challenges facing unaccompanied children and the urgent need for additional resources for their representation.

Internship Requirements

• The internship is open to students enrolled at a law school in the U.S. and is for 10-12 weeks, full time, from late May 2026 – early August 2026 (dates listed on Idealist are tentative).
• NJCIC has a hybrid work model - the intern will be required to work in person on Tuesdays and Thursdays at an amenity-filled co-working space in Jersey City and complete their remaining weekly hours remotely. The office is accessible to PATH (5-minute walk from Grove Street PATH station) and NJTransit for interns located throughout the Tristate area. The intern may have the opportunity to attend court or other in-person events across the state which may require some travel or additional in-person days.
• Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred but not required.
• This is an unpaid internship; students are encouraged to apply for funding from their law school or other sources or for academic credit.

How to Apply

Please include in your application:

• Resume
• Cover letter expressing your interest in NJCIC and working with immigrant youth and noting your level of fluency in Spanish.
• Writing sample

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Questions regarding the internship should be sent to legal@njcic.org.

NJCIC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, LGBTQIA+ people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Stipend Information

A stipend is available for those students who are lawfully authorized to work. NJCIC will work with interns to apply for stipend funding through their law school or law student public interest internship stipend programs. Students who receive outside funding of less than $7500 are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to $7,500, the level of NJCIC’s stipend amount for the summer.