The Paralegal is responsible for assisting attorneys in representing income-eligible noncitizen clients with immigration applications and petitions, including but not limited to humanitarian-based petitions, family-based petitions, naturalization applications, adjustment of status applications, and refugee travel documents. The position includes extensive contact with youth, including youth who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect, or other trauma.

Who are we?

Ascentria Care Alliance is a nonprofit organization that has spent the past 150 years helping people in need. We empower people of all backgrounds to rise together and reach beyond life’s challenges by building stronger communities and helping people move forward together.

Essential responsibilities

• Provide support to attorneys in preparing and filing immigration applications and petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
• Complete immigration applications/petitions under attorney supervision.
• Screening interviews of new clients under attorney supervision.
• Conduct factual and legal research as necessary.
• Translate support documents and interpret for clients as needed.
• Provide general administrative support to program, which may include answering phones, taking messages, note-taking, arranging meetings, and preparing or distributing paperwork.
• Support the facilitation of trainings to community partners and the general public about immigration legal services.
• Individuals with partial DOJ accreditation, same responsibilities including attendance at and direct representation of clients before USCIS

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• 1-3 years of experience working with immigrant populations.
• Ability to obtain partial DOJ accreditation within one year of date of hire.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Fluency in the Spanish language required.
• Excellent research and writing skills, outstanding oral communication skills, strong organizational skills, and an ability to work collaboratively with other staff required.
• Knowledge and/or experience in immigration law required.
• Interact with a wide variety of people and comfortable working in a busy, open work environment.
• Commitment to social and economic justice. Prior experience in a public interest setting is preferred.
• Demonstrates cultural competency and trauma-informed practices.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Ascentria we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Company Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• FSA and dependent care account

• 3 Weeks PTO and 9 Holidays!
• Tuition Assistance
• And many more!

Ascentria Care Alliance celebrates diversity and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with federal and state employment opportunity laws, qualified applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, or any other legally-protected category. Candidates who identify as BIPOC, multilingual or have lived experience with immigration or human services are encouraged to apply.