Temporary Bilingual Legal Advocate

ABOUT NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT:
Founded in 1984, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a nationally-recognized legal services organization on the front lines of defending and advancing the rights of immigrants. Each year, NWIRP provides direct legal representation and assistance in immigration matters to thousands of people with
low incomes who come from over 150 countries and speak over 60 different languages. NWIRP challenges unjust policies through high-impact lawsuits and advocates for laws and policies that respect the rights of immigrants. NWIRP is also a trusted provider of immigration-related community education for immigrant communities and social service providers. NWIRP has a staff of over 150 and an annual budget of over $20 million. NWIRP serves the community through four offices in Washington State (Granger, Seattle, Tacoma and Wenatchee), but the impact of our work is felt nationwide.

Legal Orientation Program (LOP)
NWIRP’s LOP unit serves up to 1,575 immigrants detained at the NWIPC, the vast majority of whom are unrepresented. Through the LOP, a team of attorneys, BIA Accredited Representatives, and legal advocates give detained individuals essential information about court procedures and available options for legal relief prior to their immigration hearings. The LOP consists of four primary components: (1) group orientations; (2) individual sessions; (3) self-help training in the form of pro se workshops; and (4) referral of cases to pro bono attorneys.

SUMMARY:
NWIRP seeks a temporary Spanish-speaking legal advocate to join NWIRP’s Legal Orientation Program (LOP) unit in Tacoma, WA. The applicant must be fluent in English and Spanish, and additional languages are encouraged. The ideal applicant will be able to start the position as soon as possible.

As a legal advocate, you will work alongside a team of seven, primarily providing services to individuals detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center. In order to carry out core work duties, the LOP legal advocate is required to pass a federal background check and Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) security clearance. Please be aware that these security/clearance requirements may change in the future.

In LOP, you will make weekly visits to the NWIPC and help give detained individuals essential information about court procedures and available options for legal relief prior to their immigration hearings. In addition to providing these LOP services, a core aspect of the position is to complete data entry for grant reports and other administrative tasks to ensure the orderly running of the program.

The anticipated hours of work are Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm, with a 30 – 60 minute unpaid lunch. However, due to the nature of the work, we ask for staff understanding that evening and weekend hours may be required to meet urgent deadlines.

Under NWIRP’s current COVID policies, new staff members must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (unless eligible for an exemption). Staff may choose to wear a face mask in the workplace, but it is not currently required. Staff are expected to wear masks at the detention center when meeting with detained individuals. At the time of this posting, NWIRP staff are operating in a hybrid model, and some in-office work will be expected of this position (at least two full days per week).

This position involves some travel to client meeting locations. A valid driver’s license will be required in order to meet these expectations.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
The beginning annual salary is $66,531.38 ($36.55 per hour) and is higher depending on years of directly relevant experience. For example, if you have 10 years of directly relevant experience, the annual compensation would be $77,950.77 ($42.83 per hour); 20 years = $89,043.22 ($48.92 per hour).
NWIRP is proud to be a unionized employer, and this full-time position is covered by NWIRP’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. NWIRP offers a generous benefits package, including:
Fully paid health, vision & dental plans for employee-level coverage with employer funded HRA and HSA options
FSA and Dependent Care accounts
Automatic, Employer contribution of 3% to 403(b) retirement plan
Generous paid health-related leave (12 days per year)
Generous paid vacation (16 days during your first year)
12 weeks of paid parental leave after 6 months of employment, plus the ability to extend with State-paid leave
14 paid Holidays with the ability to float 5 holidays
Subsidized transit pass if based out of Seattle or Tacoma
Employer-paid disability/life/AD&D coverage; Long-term care insurance
4 weeks of paid sabbatical after every five years of employment at NWIRP
Eligibility to earn compensatory time
Opportunities for paid professional development
New employees may be eligible for relocation benefits, per the CBA.
NWIRP is an eligible employer under the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Legal advocates are expected to:
Under attorney supervision:
Conduct weekly in-person presentations in Spanish and English to persons detained at the immigration detention center in Tacoma, WA.
Conduct intakes in one-on-one in-person sessions with detained individuals. o Conduct in-person self-help workshops for unrepresented detained individuals seeking relief from removal.
Assist in the maintenance of the schedule for daily detention center visits, record phone and email messages regarding detained individuals to be seen, and provide other administrative support for the LOP program, including creating information packets, maintaining files, etc.
Perform data entry regarding the services provided at the Northwest Detention Center, including the preparation of monthly status reports.
Translate documents.
Maintain and adapt ongoing working knowledge of significant policies, laws, and trends in immigration law, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and those impacted by the criminal justice system.
Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting, such as timekeeping, submitting timesheets, tracking training, and other duties in a timely manner.
Participate in NWIRP’s outreach, community education and development efforts; and
Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff depending upon NWIRP’s needs.

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; utilize a phone, computer, keyboard, pen and paper. Job duties may require occasional work outside core business hours. Travel will be required within the city of Tacoma. Travel reimbursements apply.

Emotional demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to discuss topics including, but not limited, to discrimination, domestic abuse, and violence. The employee must carry the emotional demands of working in a detention center environment multiple times a week.

REPORTS TO:
Supervising Attorney