This is an URGENT national pro bono project to assist immigrants who are being released from detention and relocated to cities and towns across the country. The families will be required to check in with ICE shortly after they are released, and the project is designed to pair them with a lawyer who can provide guidance and assistance with the unfamiliar process.
The representation is limited to accompanying individuals (parents/children who were separated at the border; some have been reunited, though many have not) who have been released from immigration detention to their first ICE check-in. The check-in is just an office visit, it is NOT an adversarial hearing. The volunteer attorney will prepare the family for the meeting, make sure they have the correct documentation, and attend the meeting with the family. No immigration law experience is required, and training & mentorship are available.
URGENT Limited Engagement – Assistance for Separated Families with ICE Check-ins (Across U.S.)
NOTE: Some aspects of the project are still being developed, but the need for assistance for reunited and released families at ICE check-ins, as reported to us by Annunciation House (in El Paso) and other service providers, is urgent and immediate; so we are moving forward with this piece.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, together with the Immigration Justice Campaign (IJC), seeks the immediate pro bono assistance of lawyers to assist reunited families with their initial ICE check-in post release from detention centers. Volunteer lawyers are needed to attend the ICE check-ins for a variety of reasons, including the need to advise traumatized parents and children on the purpose of the check-in and what to expect. In addition, volunteers may track additional assistance needed, for example, for people who are detained during the check-in.
Volunteers will have a brief meeting with the client in advance of the check-in and then accompany the parent(s) and child(ren) to the check-in. A brief webinar and short guide will be available to all volunteers.
There will be a 45-minute orientation to this project on July 31st from 4:00 – 4:45 ET during which volunteers will have an opportunity to ask questions. This orientation will be recorded for those who cannot attend. The call-in number is 202-660-1484 (no password needed).
This is a limited engagement matter requiring an estimated 5-10 hours per case. See below for information on how to get involved. Many of the check-ins are THIS WEEK, so please consider this an urgent request. Most cases will require Spanish fluency; lawyers who do not speak Spanish are encouraged to partner with a friend or colleague who can translate.
- Who: Lawyers
- When: Next 2-3 weeks (beginning immediately)
- What: Brief initial meeting and accompaniment to ICE check-in
- Support: Training and experts available to answer questions
- How: https://www.immigrationjustice.us/volunteeropportunities/volunteer-public
Logging in & Signing up:
- Create an account with Immigration Justice Coalition
- If you are not automatically routed to a “Getting Started” page for the ICE Check-In Project, go to “Get Trained” on the top menu bar and scroll to select “Ice Check Ins”
- Click on “Sign up to take a case” to review all available opportunities to help. To submit an offer of assistance, click the “Sign Up” box next to the case information (you can select multiple cases) and then click “Submit and Sign Up”
- Review the online recorded orientation webinar, and follow the case representation instructions to prepare for, attend, and report on the ICE Check-In
