Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney - Removal Defense & Detained Cases
2 months ago
Santa Clara
Job Description CAIR San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a seasoned and mission-driven Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney – Removal Defense & Detained Cases. This position is ideal for an experienced attorney who thrives on complex casework and client advocacy, with a focus on serving immigrants in detention and those facing deportation. The Senior Attorney will carry a significant caseload centered on detained removal defense, including bond hearings, detained dockets, and related forms of relief. The attorney will also support CAIR-SFBA's rapid response and community defense efforts, ensuring due process for immigrants facing deportation and detention in the Bay Area. This is a senior level role, designed for someone who brings extensive experience in removal defense and is ready to provide high-quality representation while advancing CAIR-SFBA's mission of protecting civil rights and empowering immigrant communities. Title: Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney Location: Based in CAIR's Santa Clara office. CAIR staff are currently working a hybrid schedule, with three days in-person and two days remote Schedule Type: Full-time (Exempt). Occasional evenings and weekends required Reporting Relationships: Reports to the Immigrants' Rights Managing Attorney Work Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States. Ability to travel throughout the Bay Area is required (vehicle and driver's license necessary) Duties & Responsibilities:Direct Legal Services • Carry a significant caseload with emphasis on detained and non-detained removal defense cases and provide high quality, client-centered representation to individuals facing removal proceedings, • Represent clients before EOIR, BIA, USCIS, ICE, and CBP in asylum, withholding, CAT, cancellation, bond, and other immigration matters, • Conduct detailed client intakes, legal screenings, and case assessments, • Provide individualized client counseling on immigration options and risks, • Prepare and file applications, motions, and appeals for detained and non-detained cases, • Prepare and litigate bond motions to secure release for detained clients, • Conduct routine visits to detention centers, ensuring access to clients and monitoring conditions affecting representationImpact & Strategic Litigation, • Take initiative in spotting and advancing impact or strategic litigation opportunities related to removal defense and detention cases, coordinating with colleagues at CAIR-SFBA and across CAIR-CA to align with broader organizational goals, • Support the development of creative legal arguments that advance immigrants' rights and address systemic challengesCommunity Engagement, • Participate in Know Your Rights presentations, pro se support, and immigration legal clinics, with emphasis on detention-related issues, • Collaborate with local coalitions, visitation programs, and immigrant justice networks to expand support for detained immigrantsLegal Research & Writing, • Conduct case-specific research on statutes, regulations, and case law, • Draft motions, appeals, briefs, and other filings with strong attention to detail and client-centered advocacy, • Provide technical expertise to colleagues on detained removal defense when requestedGrant Compliance & Support, • Ensure timely and accurate case documentation for grant deliverables, • Contribute case narratives and data for grant reporting and fundraising purposesGeneral Organizational Support, • Provide limited supervision and mentorship to legal staff, such as other attorneys, caseworkers, law clerks, or interns, as assigned, • Partner with Communications staff to highlight the impact of detained removal defense, • J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, • Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; California strongly preferred, • Minimum three years of immigration law experience with at least two years focused on removal defense, including detained cases and bond hearings, • Demonstrated success handling detained dockets and related relief, • Strong client counseling, case preparation, and oral advocacy skills before EOIR and USCIS, • Excellent organizational skills and ability to independently manage a complex caseload, • Demonstrated commitment to defending low-income immigrants and other vulnerable populations, • Flexibility to travel to detention centers, courts, and community sites, including occasional early mornings or evenings, • Access to a reliable vehicle and ability to travel to detention centers and courts across the Bay Area, • Deep commitment to CAIR-SFBA's mission of defending civil rights and empowering immigrant communitiesPreferred Qualifications:, • Experience providing mentorship, training, or supervision to legal staff (attorneys, caseworkers, or interns), • Experience with federal appeals or habeas petitions, • Experience working in nonprofit, community-based, or faith-based organizations, • Conversational proficiency in Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, or UrduCompensation:, • Compensation in the range of $93,000-112,000 annually, commensurate with experience, • Fully paid Kaiser Health Insurance and Blue Cross PPO Dental Plan for employee and dependents, • 3% retirement matching contribution CAIR-CA is an equal-opportunity employer and adheres to all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Job Posted by ApplicantPro