Paralegal II – Dilley Team

Paralegal II – Dilley Team

Dilley or San Antonio

TRLA seeks a paralegal for its Family Detention Project who will support TRLA’s efforts to provide free civil legal services to asylum-seeking women and children who are detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center (“STFRC”) in Dilley, Texas. 

STFRC is the nation’s largest immigration detention facility. It is located 70 miles southwest of San Antonio and houses up to 2,400 women and children, including children who are only one year old. The Dilley Pro Bono Project – a non-profit collective comprised of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, the American Immigration Council, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and CLINIC -  maintains a small team of on-site lawyers and paralegals who facilitate a non-traditional model of legal services with the goal of providing every woman and child meaningful legal representation.

The Dilley Pro Bono Project (“DPBP”) recruits teams of volunteers nationally who commit to arriving in Dilley on a Sunday, attending a mandatory orientation, and providing legal services to families throughout the week. After an exhilarating and exhausting week, the volunteer team leaves the following Saturday, and a new team arrives to take over their caseload and carry the work forward. DPBP’s radical model of providing services to refugees in the United States has received national attention and support. You can learn more about DPBP’s incredible work and origin at How to Crowdsource a Refugee Rights Strategy

Duties:

All candidates should possess a sense of urgency to end family detention and protect asylum-seekers from deportation, empathy, and the ability to stay calm and collected in the midst of crisis. The paralegal’s work with detained families inside STFRC will include, but not be limited to, the following duties:

• Complete intakes with new clients;
• Develop specialized knowledge of asylum law and expedited removal;
• Prepare individuals for an interview with a USCIS Asylum Officer;
• Prepare individuals who seek Immigration Judge review of a negative decision by an Asylum Officer;
• Support clients who request release on bond after a positive credible or reasonable fear determination;
• Draft declarations;
• Gather evidence, including country conditions, that supports an individual’s eligibility for asylum;
• Prepare filings for court;
• Communicate with stakeholders, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services;
• Communicate with clients and their loved ones;
• Collaborate with current community partners and form new partnerships;
• Create legal educational materials;
• Support and collaborate with local and national volunteers;
• Maintain accurate and complete client files and administrative records, including timely entry of new clients and client appointments into client database systems;
• Prepare administrative reports;
• Provide translation and interpretation; 
• Provide legal information and referrals;
• Schedule, organize and facilitate client meetings;
• Ensure client meetings begin on time, and clients reserve timely and appropriate legal services;
• Provide prompt response to walk-in client inquiries and prioritize based on scope of need;
• Facilitate volunteer task management;
• Provide volunteer training;  
• Keep accurate records of all data collection; and
• Perform other related duties and tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Fluency in English and Spanish
• College degree
• Excellent oral and writing skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and accommodate an irregular work schedule
• A proven commitment to supporting vulnerable immigrant populations

Preferred:

• Dedication to and experience in serving low-income populations
• Experience working with survivors of trauma
• Experience coordinating or participating in volunteer-based projects

How to Apply and Related Timelines:

For consideration, applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and three references with “Paralegal Position – Family Detention Project” in the subject line, to the following individuals:
To: Monica Bustamante, Recruitment Manager, at employment@trla.org
“cc”: Shalyn Fluharty, Director – Family Detention Project, at shay@caraprobono.org

The consideration of candidates is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled. The position is available immediately, although the start date is somewhat negotiable.