United States of America: Immigration Intern

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. Domestically, our 26 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency.

SCOPE OF WORK: IRC's Immigration Department in Silver Spring, Maryland, provides high quality, low-cost immigration services, including filing applications for adjustment of status (i.e., green cards), work authorization, naturalization, and family reunification for refugees, asylees, and Victims of Trafficking immigrants and other immigrants.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Go through client immigration documents and assist clients about requirements for consultation and application sessions

• Answer client questions regarding immigration services, and when necessary refer clients to the appropriate IRC staff member
• Research on immigration issues, polices, and program
• Promote the IRC’s immigration department through online and local networks
• Build partnerships with local agencies to improve our system of providing immigration services
• General administrative support, including tracking, filing, and mailing relevant documents, applications, and notices of action
• Under the guidance of the supervising immigration Services Coordinator, assist in putting client information updates in Immigrant PRO database
• Assist clients with document translation, authentication, presentation and completion
• Provide special assistance to clients with particular needs

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Gain Exposure to the local refugee and asylee community
• Understand the various immigration processes and procedures refugees and asylees encounter.
• Gain understanding of online databases such as Immigrant PRO
• Experience working in a multicultural office environment

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Working towards a college degree related to international relief, humanitarian work, or refugee law-related subjects. Must be current student or within 12 months of schooling*
• Passion to work with diverse and limited-English speaking refugees
• Interest in and/or work experience with U.S Immigration law (prior experience in immigration is a plus)
• Excellent research, language, data base management, and record keeping skills

This position reports to the Program Coordinator.

Note: This is an unpaid internship; school credit may be received depending on your program and institution

*Candidates applying not enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or are outside of 12 months of their graduation are still welcome to apply but will be processed as volunteers.

Please include your resume, a cover letter, a list of references, and your tentative availability with your application. Please include your availability in your cover letter.

This position is for the fall 2018 semester beginning in August/September and requires a 3 month commitment. The internship will be posted until filled.

To protect our clients, the IRC requires all selected applicants to complete background checks. We ask that you make a $55 donation to help us cover the associated costs. Currently, 92% of our funding goes directly to programming to support our clients, and your help to cover this cost will ensure that no funding is directed away from serving our clients. Instructions will be provided after you have been selected to intern or volunteer.

IRC leading the way from harm to home.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you need assistance in the application or hiring process to accommodate a disability, you may request an accommodation at any time. Please contact Talent Acquisitions atIRC.Recruitment@rescue.org. As required by law, the IRC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with a known disability.**

Please apply directly on our website using the link below, or by visiting rescue.org/careers and narrowing your search to Silver Spring, MD.

https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/search.aspx?site=1&c=rescue