Title: Immigration Legal Counsel
Reports To: President of Disciples Home Missions
Team: Refugee and Immigration Ministries
Job Location: Continental U.S., with access to a mid-sized or larger airport
Salary: $39,000
Status: Half time position with no benefits
Deadline: Received by 5:00 p.m. EST February 17, 2020
Summary:
Disciples Immigration Legal Counsel is a ministry of Disciples Home Missions (DHM), the domestic missions arm of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada.
As the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) strives to be faithful to the gospel call and to meet the needs of sojourners who are part of our communities, we often face difficult situations that require legal expertise in immigration matters. We seek to respond to the real human needs of our immigrant members, pastors, and congregations in ways that are helpful and responsible.
Disciples Immigration Legal Counsel provides representation, legal advice, referrals, and other immigration assistance to pastors, congregations, regions, institutions, and general ministries striving to assist persons with immigration problems.
Essential Duties:
- Represent Disciples pastors before Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DOS), including religious worker petitions, adjustment of status applications, naturalizations, family-based petitions, consular processing, and others
- Provide immigration legal consultations and referrals to Disciples ministries and members
- Maintain expertise in the full range of immigration law issues and policy changes as necessary to provide appropriate assistance
- Provide legal updates and timely immigration information to Disciples through social media, websites, or other communications
- Create self-help legal resources and community education materials as needed
- Collaborate with general and regional ministries to provide immigration information and education through workshops, webinars, or other means
- Coordinate with Refugee & Immigration Ministries’ Director and Immigration Response Specialist to promote education and advocacy, as appropriate
- Further develop the Disciples Immigration Legal Counsel ministry to meet the changing needs of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Manage the processes for continued support of this position from its funding sources
- Maintain professional licensing and memberships as required
- Other duties as assigned by DHM
Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor from an accredited university
- Membership in good standing in the bar of any state and/or the District of Columbia
- Experience practicing immigration and nationality law before DHS
- Demonstrated dedication to immigrant rights
- Experience working cross-culturally or with multiple ethnic groups
- Experience creating community education resources and presentations
- Good written and oral communication
- Spanish language fluency required; Korean language proficiency preferred but not required
- Experience managing an immigration practice or project with limited or no support staff
- Flexibility for limited travel
- Experience working within a church organization and theological expertise preferred but not required
- Knowledge of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and membership in a Disciples of Christ congregation
preferred but not required
To Apply:
Email cover letter, resume, and two writing samples in a single PDF to: [email protected] with subject line “Immigration Legal Counsel Application – YOUR NAME.” No phone calls, please.
Writing samples must be fewer than 7 pages each and may include: community education/pro se materials or presentations, redacted cover letter or table of contents from a U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) filing, redacted Request for Evidence (RFE) response to USCIS, client letter, or other legal writing.
Statement on Equal Opportunity:
The Division of Homeland Ministries (DHM), dba Disciples Home Missions, is an Equal Employment Opportunity Organization and employment consideration is given to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, age, or handicap. DHM is committed to be an anti-racist pro-reconciling general entity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).