Immigrants’ Rights Attorney

CAIR San Francisco Bay Area • Santa Clara, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Join the largest American Muslim civil rights organization, CAIR-SFBA, dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants, freedom of faith, employment opportunities without harassment, and active American citizenship. CAIR-SFBA provides legal immigration services to refugees, asylum seekers, and the diverse immigrant community in the San Francisco Bay Area. This Immigrants' Rights Attorney position is an entry- or mid-level role, reporting to the Immigrants' Rights Managing Attorney. The primary responsibility is to maintain a full caseload, offering immigration legal consultations and direct legal representation to clients before USCIS, EOIR, and other federal agencies. The role offers significant exposure to immigrant communities and their legal concerns, providing an opportunity to gain experience across a wide range of immigration matters within a collaborative and mentoring environment. The attorney will support the Immigrants' Rights Center team by handling full-scope consultation and representation, participating in community engagements and outreach, and assisting with grant deliverable requirements. This position emphasizes high-impact casework in a values-driven environment that prioritizes shared knowledge, mentorship, and collective problem-solving, focusing on serving vulnerable populations.

Requirements

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• Strong client counseling, case preparation, and oral advocacy skills before EOIR and USCIS
• Strong time management skills with a demonstrated ability for meeting deadlines
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills with outstanding attention to detail
• Ability to be productive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Demonstrated commitment to defending low-income immigrants and other vulnerable populations
• Flexibility to travel to detention centers, courts, and community sites, including occasional early mornings or evenings
• Access to a reliable vehicle and ability to travel to detention centers and courts across the San Francisco Bay Area
• Deep commitment to CAIR's mission of defending civil rights and empowering immigrant communities
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

• At least two years work related to immigration, specifically in areas of asylum, family-based petitions, removal defense, and naturalization; may substitute law school clinical and summer internship experience, immigration paralegal or other immigration non-profit experience for experience as an attorney
• At least one year of experience with various humanitarian-based or family-based immigration applications
• Some courtroom experience and/or experience filing motions
• Conversational proficiency in Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, or Urdu would be valuable

Responsibilities

• Carry a substantial but sustainable caseload, with a mix of affirmative and defensive (detained and non-detained) cases, and provide high quality, client-centered representation to individuals facing removal proceedings
• Represent clients before EOIR, BIA, USCIS, ICE, and CBP in asylum, withholding, CAT, cancellation, bond, and other immigration matters
• Conduct detailed client intakes, legal screenings, and case assessments
• Provide individualized client counseling on immigration options and risks
• Prepare and file applications, motions, and appeals for detained and non-detained cases
• Prepare and litigate bond motions and habeas petitions to secure release for detained clients
• Contribute to impact or strategic litigation, in coordination with CAIR-SFBA and CAIR-CA colleagues, depending on capacity and relevance
• Support the development of creative legal arguments that advance immigrants' rights and address systemic challenges
• Participate in Know Your Rights presentations, pro se support, and immigration legal clinics, with emphasis on detention-related issues
• Collaborate with local coalitions, visitation programs, and immigrant justice networks to expand support for detained immigrants
• Conduct case-specific research on statutes, regulations, and case law
• Draft motions, appeals, briefs, and other filings with strong attention to detail and client-centered advocacy
• Provide technical expertise to colleagues on detained removal defense when requested
• Ensure timely and accurate case documentation for grant deliverables
• Contribute case narratives and data for grant reporting and fundraising purposes
• Provide limited supervision and mentorship to legal staff, such as other attorneys, caseworkers, law clerks, or interns, as assigned
• Partner with Communications staff to highlight the impact of detained removal defense
• Support organizational events and fundraising initiatives as needed
• Routinely support general office needs and organizational priorities

Benefits

• Fully paid Kaiser Health Insurance and Blue Cross PPO Dental Plan for employee and dependent
• 401(k) plan with an employer match
• 12 paid holidays, 10 sick days, and 12 vacation days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree