College Intern - Safe Passage Project (Lawrence-Funded Internship)

Safe Passage Project provides free legal services to over 1,000 immigrant youth in New York City and on Long Island. Free legal services are critical because there is no right to free representation in immigration courts. Having a lawyer can increase the odds of success from approximately 15% to over 80%.

Our staff attorneys both directly represent clients as well as mentor pro bono volunteer attorneys who take on cases with Safe Passage Project. The most common forms of relief we seek for our clients are Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and asylum. We regularly practice before the NYC Immigration Courts, NY Family Courts, NY and NJ Asylum Offices, USCIS, and the Administrative Appeals Office.

About the College Intern Role

College interns are an important and exciting addition to our diverse team of lawyers, paralegals, and social workers. Interns will be assigned to work with either one or two supervisors. Interns will have regular check-in meetings and will have two designated feedback sessions with their supervisors. While our internship will be virtual this summer, there will be opportunities for some in person work, if desired.  We will offer a comprehensive virtual orientation at the beginning of the summer and weekly virtual brown bag lunches with staff.   Interns will work with clients seeking immigration benefits, such as including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, asylum, U nonimmigrant status, adjustment of status, naturalization, and DACA.

Responsibilities

Interns receive hands-on experience with a variety of tasks. These tasks may include interpretation at virtual and telephonic client meetings, translation of documents from Spanish to English, participating in virtual legal screenings, assisting with maintaining electronic file database and observing virtual Immigration Court and Family Court appearances. 

We seek interns who are

● Either attending college or have graduated from college

● Fluent in Spanish or another language spoken by the young people we serve (please indicate your language skills in your application)

● Open to giving and receiving feedback

● Able to meet deadlines and work independently

• An understanding of how to work with vulnerable populations using trauma-centered practices or willingness to learn and incorporate such practices in your work.

General Information

● Mid-June 2025

● Full-time commitment for at least eight weeks.
 

Compensation:
This internship is part of the Lawrence-Funded internship program. The student selected for this internship will receive a $6k stipend to help cover housing and transportation costs and living expenses. For additional details and to see other Lawrence-Funded opportunities, please visit this webpage. Before applying, you must meet with a Career Center staff member for a resume review, or your resume must achieve green status in VMOCK.  If your resume does not meet professional expectations, you may be asked to resubmit your resume.  Please make an appointment with the Career Center here on Handshake.

• Once your resume is approved, you will then apply directly in Handshake by March 28th, 2025.

Please ask Michelle Buchinger for more details about how funding works Michelle.m.buchinger@lawrence.edu 

Safe Passage Project is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, LGBTQ people, veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.