Volunteer Legal Intern for Spring 2024

Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)
San Diego Immigration Court
Law Student Volunteer, Academic Year
880 Front Street, Suite 4240
San Diego, CA 92101
United States
About the Office: 

The primary mission of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is to adjudicate immigration cases by fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation's immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.

The United States Immigration Court in San Diego is hiring volunteer legal interns for Summer 2023. Those selected as law interns gain an understanding of immigration law and procedure as it relates to removal and deportation issues. Interns have a unique opportunity to gain substantive experience in immigration law and procedure in the context of removal proceedings. Interns will work with an array of issues in immigration law, such as eligibility for asylum and adjustment of status, implementation of the Convention Against Torture, and the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. They will develop considerable familiarity with the Immigration & Nationality Act, the Code of Federal Regulations, and immigration case law.

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Job Description: 

Law interns generally work part-time during the academic year, and the Court is flexible to different work schedules. Law interns will have the opportunity to work directly with Immigration Judges and observe Immigration Court proceedings.

Typical assignments include legal research, drafting Immigration Court decisions, and writing bench memoranda on specific legal issues. Every assignment will require a law intern to research and apply the applicable statutes, regulations, and case law to the facts of an ongoing case. Interns work under the supervision of Department of Justice attorneys to support the Immigration Judges at the respective Immigration Courts.

Prior knowledge of immigration law is helpful, but not necessary. Strong research and writing skills are required.   

The internship is unpaid, and may be part-time or full-time, based on our anticipated workload.

Qualifications: 

Hiring Criteria

  • Open to second and third-year law students
  • Strong research, writing, and analytical skills are required
  • Prior knowledge of immigration law and criminal law is helpful, but not required
  • Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, independent work environment is required
  • Successful completion of an FBI background check is required
  • United States citizenship is required
Salary: 
Uncompensated; We can work with law schools that offer academic credit.
Application Process: 

Applications should include a cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, and writing sample. The writing sample should be between five (5) and ten (10) pages in length, and should reflect the applicant’s own unedited or student-edited work. Excerpted writing samples should include an analysis section. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.

Please email application materials in .pdf format directly to Alexis Smith Aguilar, Esq., Attorney Advisor (Alexis.Smith.Aguilar@usdoj.gov).

 

Application Deadline: 
Friday, September 22, 2023
Number of Positions: 
1
Updated September 7, 2023

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Department Policies

Equal Employment Opportunity:  The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.  Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor.  The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.

Reasonable Accommodations:  This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency.  Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities:  The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements.  Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority.  Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.   

Suitability and Citizenship:  It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment.  Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.

Veterans:  There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

USAO Residency Requirement:  Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof.  See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

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This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.