Position Title: Immigration Services Fellow

Organization: Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department: Immigration Legal Services

Position Type: Temporary - 20 hours/week, Non-Exempt, with the possibility of working additional hours if demand for services is high

Work Setting: Onsite

Reports To: Lead Program coordinator

Pay Range: $21-$23/hour

Total Compensation:

In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees (if working 30 hours or more)
• Employer-covered life insurance (if working 30 hours or more)

Time Away from Work:

Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

• Sick Pay – 1 hour for every 30 hours

Position Overview:

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) is one of four refugee resettlement agencies in San Diego County, a Department of Justice Recognized organization, and a core partner of the San Diego Rapid Response Network (SDRRN) - a group of 40+ immigrant rights and social service organizations, attorneys and community leaders who educate, protect and assist immigrant individuals and families – including refugees and asylum seekers – with legal support and social services. JFS has a large Immigration Legal Services Department (ILSD) where it not only coordinates the legal services for SDRRN, but also has a large team of lawyers, DOJ accredited representatives, and support staff working on a wide range of services for low-income and vulnerable immigrants in San Diego and Imperial counties. This position will work within the ILSD team at JFS. The ILSD team specializes in removal defense, family-based petitions and applications, administrative relief, naturalization, and humanitarian relief. The ILSD team has experience and regularly practices immigration law before Department of Homeland Security (DHS), such as with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Border Patrol (BP) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as well as before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) at the San Diego, Otay Mesa and Imperial Immigration Courts and Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The ILSD team also represents clients in relevant immigration matters before San Diego Superior Court on simple post-conviction relief and probate guardianship matters. The ILSD is also the legal service provider which coordinates the Higher Education Legal Services (HELS) program at 2 CA State Universities – San Diego State and CSU San Marcos, in addition to 9 community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Under the Lead Program Coordinator, the Immigration Services Fellow will be responsible for meeting with students, administrators, faculty, and staff at San Diego State University (SDSU) to complete an immigration services screening, make assessment for social services, if needed, and support with education and outreach. The immigration services screening will consist of an immigration intake. After conducting the immigration intake, the Fellow will provide “Know Your Rights” materials and will present the immigration intake to an immigration representative. The immigration representative will assess the case and provide advice. If the immigration representative determines that the person is eligible to apply for immigration relief, the case will be considered for additional immigration support services through JFSSD.

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of Lead Program Coordinator, the Immigration Services Fellow will:

• Meet with students, administrators, faculty, and staff at San Diego State University (SDSU) to complete an immigration services screening, make assessment for social services, if needed, and support with education and outreach
• Conduct immigration intake to determine immigration services needs
• Provide “Know Your Rights” materials to all people who receive an immigration intake
• Present the immigration intake to an immigration representative to determine referrals for services at JFSSD
• Stay in constant communication with people who receive an immigration intake and follow up when final assessment is completed
• Coordinate and document communications with people that receive immigration intake
• Participate in community workshops, information sessions, and other outreach activities at SDSU, as needed
• Stay in constant communication with immigration services and social services programs at JFSSD to successfully refer people who receive an immigration intake for services
• Stay up to date on rapidly changing immigration laws and policies in order to better support all people who receive immigration intake
• Comply with data and program reporting requirements
• Be ready to perform any additional administrative tasks in support of the services provided at SDSU.

Skills/Experience/Abilities That Are a Must-Have:

• A bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of 1 years of experience in immigration services
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including good communication and listening skills, attention to detail, and professional attitude
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure
• Ability to work both independently and in a group setting
• Ability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends, if needed
• Valid driver’s license, access to an automobile, insurance, and willingness to drive to off-site locations
• Passion for social justice for immigrants

Skills/Abilities We’d Like You to Have:

• Bilingual is a plus, but not required

• Experience working with immigrant communities
• Experience working with marginalized populations and survivors of trauma
• SDSU Student or Alumni is a plus, but not required
• Dedication to serving immigrant communities with a sincere commitment to working on behalf of low-income immigrants

Important Notice:

Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Please, no phone calls. Please, principals only. Please, local candidates only (relocation is not provided).

About Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Jewish Family Service of San Diego is a client-centered, impact-driven organization working to build a stronger, more resilient community. For over 100 years, Jewish Family Service has been a trusted resource for the entire community, offering an array of services that are always life-changing, and often life-saving. At Jewish Family Service, we believe our employees are the backbone of our Agency. We strive to ensure that each employee is treated with dignity and respect. Our goal is your success. Come work at JFS and be our partner in Moving Forward Together. To learn more about JFS, please visit jfssd.org.

*Jewish Family Service is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.