How We Work
The Immigration Justice Campaign is a nationwide initiative seeking to increase access to counsel for thousands of immigrants held in detention centers who need pro bono representation.
Identifying Opportunities to Help
The Justice Campaign partners with legal service providers and pro bono representation projects that have a constant presence in immigration detention centers across the country. These organizations conduct expert screenings and identify individuals who are eligible for immigration relief, such as asylum, and who need pro bono assistance.
We then work with our partners to communicate the volunteer opportunities to our nationwide network of committed volunteers.
Supporting Volunteers Who Take Cases
Training
The Immigration Justice Campaign supports its volunteers by providing access to an online library of training materials and toolkits that is tailored specifically to lawyers who are new to immigration court and immigration detention.
Working with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, leading non-profit organizations, and individual practitioners nationwide, the Justice Campaign has gathered highly-curated, top-of-the-line materials designed to provide step-by-step guidance to volunteers, including:
- Introductory level webinars and presentations;
- Detailed recommended timelines;
- Access to leading treatises and research tools;
- Sample case files and templates
- Advanced articles and practice pointers; and
- In-person and online trainings.
Learn more about our training resources »
For access to our full range of educational resources, register to join the Justice Campaign and sign up to help someone in urgent need of legal help.
Mentorship and Technical Assistance Program
The Immigration Justice Campaign operates a first-of-its-kind mentorship program, harnessing the expertise of the immigration attorneys on our team to assist pro bono attorneys who are new to removal defense. Volunteers have opportunities to communicate with and learn from other attorneys handling similar cases through our innovative group mentorship and office hour models.
In addition, volunteers have access to a dedicated mentor who will provide expert guidance, prepare the volunteer for any upcoming hearings, and review draft filings.
Advocacy
The Justice Campaign also advocates for changes in law and policy by documenting systemic challenges that detained immigrants encounter as they fight to seek protection. We look to volunteers to help identify the many due process challenges their clients face while in detention, such as prolonged detention, inadequate access to language interpretation services, and changes in court practices, among others.
To work to create a better, more humane system for the most vulnerable people in our immigration system, we invite volunteers to complete an advocacy questionnaire after they complete their volunteer experience.
We also highlight the vital work of pro bono volunteers and underscore the dire need for legal representation in detention centers across the country through engagement with the media. The Justice Campaign amplifies the successes achieved and the challenges faced by volunteers’ clients.
Volunteers are encouraged to write opinion pieces and blog posts, and may also have opportunities to work directly with press.