Legal Assistant – Deportation Defense

Justice for all Immigrants (“JFAI”) is hiring a full-time Legal Assistant to provide support to a Staff Attorney and clients under the Harris County Immigrant Legal Services Fund (“ILSF”). The Legal Assistant will assist low-income detained immigrants at the four Houston area detention facilities. The Legal Assistant should have a strong commitment to public interest law and to the empowerment of immigrant communities.

He/she will be under the supervision of the Staff Attorney.

JFAI is a non-profit immigration legal service provider that offers immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and refugees in the greater Houston region. JFAI is a non-profit organization that provides legal services to clients of all faiths and backgrounds. JFAI is a member of the Immigration Law & Justice Network, a national non-profit dedicated to providing quality immigration legal services throughout the nation.

The purpose of the ILSF is to provide legal representation for immigrant community members, children and families facing the threat of deportation. Within Harris County, many immigrants and their families face the constant fear of arrest and deportation - leading to increased mental health stressors that impact our wider community health. Harris County strives to keep residents safe and is committed to ensuring immigrants have access to fair and affordable legal representation in deportation proceedings.

Conduct client screening, intakes, and follow-up interviews at detention facilities

Prepare immigration applications and documents to be filed with the Immigration Court, DHS, and USCIS

Meet with clients to prepare and review applications for filing

Receive case assignment, organize case files, maintain case list for the attorney and generate case statistics

Maintain case files and update the case-tracking system

Provide interpretation and translation support in client matters

Conduct research in law and country conditions background

Prepare documents and files for Immigration Court, DHS, and USCIS

Conduct community outreach and community legal education

Collect and process incoming mail and prepare packages for mailing

Other duties, activities, and responsibilities, as assigned

Bachelor’s Degree in related field

One to two years’ work experience in legal services or human services (one year of recent legal assistant experience in family-based immigration or removal defense strongly preferred)

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Spanish required

Dedication to and experience in serving low-income or immigrant populations

Strong organizational skills, ability to manage caseload, strict deadlines, and other tasks simultaneously

Proficiency in MS Office and Google Suite applications

Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license, and evidence of insurability

The Legal Assistant should have a strong commitment to public interest law and to the enfranchisement and empowerment of immigrant communities.

A competitive salary ($42,000-$46,000 DOE) and benefits will be provided, including generous vacation, sick, and holiday leave, medical/dental/vision insurance coverage, and access to professional training throughout the year. JFAI is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, disability, or veteran status.