Hispanic Affairs Project joins city and community leaders to promote integration
Over the last several years, CLINIC’s Center for Immigrant Integration has had the opportunity to highlight various local integration initiatives throughout Colorado. From the highly respected nonprofit, Intercambio: Uniting Communities, to a local photographer using her art to promote integration, to Catholic Charities of Pueblo’s work with city officials to ensure immigrant communities feel safe reporting crime to local law enforcement, to Aurora’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs and its partnerships with nonprofits to promote integration locally – the people of Colorado are prioritizing integration. While the approaches differ, the goals were similar: to promote immigrant integration and create an inclusive community. Fortunately, state officials are now engaging in similar efforts to promote integration statewide.
In 2019, Governor Jared Polis of Colorado launched the New Americans Integration Initiative to identify barriers in the community and work with members in the community, nonprofits and other stakeholders to implement solutions. Earlier this year as an expansion of the integration initiative, Governor Polis signed into law HB21-1150, creating an Office of New Americans, housed within the Department of Labor and Employment. Through community partnerships, the office will “identify and address issues related to integration, foster enhanced inclusion of New Americans in Colorado’s civic, social, and economic life, and ensure equitable opportunities for newcomers,” according to its website.
One of the nonprofits teaming up with the newly funded office is CLINIC affiliate Hispanic Affairs Project (HAP). Since its founding 16 years ago, HAP’s mission has been to integrate newcomers in the western slope of Colorado, through leadership development, local, state and federal advocacy, and essential service provision to the community. During the last three years, the Colorado legislative body has become “friendlier and more pro-immigrant,” recalls Ricardo Perez, executive director of the Hispanic Affairs Project. HAP has been successful in promoting integration locally through relationship building in the community: “we connect with non-immigrants to support newcomers and celebrate diversity here,” said Perez. As a trusted organization in the community, their partnership with city officials is crucial, due to mistrust of government entities among the immigrant community. By partnering with city officials, nonprofits like HAP can assist newcomers while building trust between the community and city government. For example, HAP helps share messaging around services and resources offered by governmental agencies. “Legislators are becoming more connected and wanting to be more involved,” reflects Perez.
HAP has strong partnerships with public libraries, local health clinics and churches. These partnerships have been key to continuing the integration efforts in the community, especially during times when HAP has reached its max capacity. “Collaboration is important if you are going to succeed, integration is a two-way process, and everyone has a role and responsibility. Living in a rural area, grassroots organizing and working together is what creates change”, said Perez. Perez believes that state officials have the capacity and ability to invest in grassroots organizations working in the community and have the platform to speak positively about integration and its importance for communities. The role of nonprofits and other community-based organizations is to continue working closely with the immigrant community and promote civic engagement, build capacity and provide legal services among other resources. As for community members, Perez believes participation is pivotal. Change is occurring in the community, Perez recalled, “We see community members with limited English be present and talk about how they feel like the community belongs to them.”
HAP acknowledges that integration efforts will look different in each community. HAP prepares for this by hosting a series of presentations, film discussions, and community activities to bring newcomers and the receiving community together to engage and exchange stories. HAP is currently working with a city council in the western slope providing resources to become a Certified Welcoming City, a designation offered by the organization Welcoming America. “[Community members] are very welcoming of newcomers and they are very supportive, they are engaging in integration work even though they don’t know that is what they are doing,” said Perez, who hopes that receiving this accreditation will continue to empower the community to creating a safe and welcoming place for newcomers.
CLINIC applauds Hispanic Affairs Project and its collaborations for their ongoing efforts to promote immigrant integration throughout Colorado. Share with us your city’s integration efforts to be featured in next month’s CLINIC’s Affiliate newsletter.
Removal Defense Attorney
Position Summary
The Removal Defense Attorney prepares a wide range of immigration cases for submission/defense to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of State, Immigration Court, the Arlington Asylum Office, and the Board of Immigration Appeals. The Removal Defense Attorney provides legal representation to unaccompanied children in family court and prepares cases for submission to USCIS and EOIR. The Removal Defense Attorney coordinates all aspects of a client's case, including client communication, relevant research, drafting personal statements, preparing immigration forms, writing briefs, drafting court motions and orders, and advocacy with law enforcement and other agencies. Additionally, the Removal Defense Attorney will:
- Assist in the supervision of volunteer and student interns.
- Solicit the help of volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and others to assist with the provision of services when necessary, and mentor pro bono attorney volunteers.
- Provide public education in the community, collaborating with other agencies.
- Participate in meetings with immigration legal service community-based organizations.
- Participate on regular basis in day-long weekend naturalization workshops.
- Provide referrals to clients for non-legal services ad needed.
- Provide data for grant reports, as needed.
Prerequisites for the Position:
- Juris Doctor degree and admission to the bar of any state; Virginia bar admission strongly preferred.
- At least 1 year of experience practicing immigration law.
- Experience in court and in defensive immigration cases preferred.
- Proficiency in Spanish and English (writing and speaking) required.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to manage a substantial workload with deadline pressures.
- Competence in communicating and interacting with others of diverse cultural, geographic, and economic backgrounds in a professional and compassionate manner, including interacting with individuals experiencing substantial levels of emotional, physical, financial, or other hardship.
- Ability to use basic Microsoft Office programs and online case management software.
- Commitment to the mission and goals of Catholic Charities Hogar Immigrant Services - Legal.
- Regular access to a vehicle and travel to and from court or government agencies required. up to 2 days telework
- CCDA reimburses mileage and parking at court/USCIS/etc.,
- Pay state bar dues and AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) membership for all attorneys
Click Here to Apply
Closing Date
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Hogar Legal
Alexandria, VA
United States
Temporary Legal Assistant
This is a Temporary Legal Assistant position that will be a contract/1099 position through Dec. 31, 2021.
Summary Description
The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) seeks a legal assistant to join the Defending Vulnerable Populations (DVP) Program. The legal assistant will support DVP’s new partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that calls on DVP to screen the cases of individuals with “Migration Protection Protocols” in absentia orders of removal or terminated proceedings for representation on possible motions to reopen. DVP staff will then represent these cases on motions to reopen. The temporary legal assistant will assist DVP during the remainder of 2021 with the possibility of an extension into 2022, depending on renewed funding from UNHCR.
Responsibilities
- Manage referral entries from UNHCR
- Conduct intakes with potential new clients
- Run conflict checks on new client intakes
- Communicate with clients during the representation
- Manage client files and data entry in Lawlab database
- Draft client declarations in support of the motion to reopen
- Gather documentation to support the motion to reopen
- Assist with expert declaration drafting
- Write compelling case summaries for any reopened cases and assist with case placement
- Research social services available to the families
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- College graduate
- Speak and write Spanish fluently
- Cultural competence and cross-cultural communication skills
- Excellent writing skills
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills
- Proven ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
- Ability to work self-sufficiently
- Commitment to excellence and high standards
- Experience in immigration work is a strong plus
- Experience working with survivors of abuse or other trauma is a strong plus
Other
- Fulfill CLINIC’s expectations that all staff:
- Serve with integrity
- Develop innovative solutions
- Promote learning—for themselves, for their colleagues, and for our network
- Cultivate constructive relationships
The responsibilities listed above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities and duties required of staff members. The job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and non-essential job functions are subject to modification.
This is a Temporary Legal Assistant position that will be a contract/1099 position through Dec. 31, 2021.
PLEASE SEND RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO CAREERS@CLINICLEGAL.ORG
Closing Date
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Reports To
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within the continental United States, MD
United States
