American Civil Liberties Union

2010 SUMMER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
NOTICE TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
Immigrants’ Rights Project, CA

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), America's foremost advocate of individual rights, is a non-partisan organization founded in 1920, with more than 5 National offices and over 50 affiliates throughout the country. The Immigrant Rights Project of the ACLU seeks applicants for the Undergraduate Summer Internship in San Francisco starting in June 2010.

OVERVIEW:
The Immigrants’ Rights Project (IRP) is a national project of the American Civil Liberties Union with offices in New York and California. Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy and public outreach, the Project carries on the ACLU’s commitment to protecting the rights and liberties of immigrants. In federal district and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, the Project conducts the nation’s largest impact litigation program dedicated to defending and expanding the rights of immigrants, enforcing the guarantees of the Constitution, and achieving equal justice under the law.

The Project has focused on challenging laws that deny immigrants access to the judicial system, impose indefinite and mandatory detention, and constitute discrimination on the basis of “alienage” by governmental and private entities. In addition, the Project has been challenging constitutional abuses that arise from immigration enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels, including litigation against worksite and home raids, local anti-immigrant employment and housing laws, and improper enforcement of federal immigration laws by local sheriffs. IRP’s efforts in the enforcement arena seek to ensure the constitutional protections of the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, combat racial profiling arising from actual or pretextual immigration enforcement that subjects immigrant communities to racism and hostility, and challenge government policies and practices that undermine or deny immigrants’ ability to effectuate their existing legal rights.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW:
Interns will work under the direct supervision of the Project's Office Manager and will have the opportunity to work with the attorneys and staff of the Immigrants’ Rights Project on a range of significant issues and projects. Interns will work primarily with the State Strategist, Public Education Coordinator and project paralegals.

Our summer internship requires an 8-10 week commitment. This position is part-time with weekly hours negotiable. The number of interns accepted varies. Interns are highly encouraged to obtain funding from outside sources, as the position is unpaid.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The work will include:

• Conducting factual research.
• Developing web-based informational updates.
• Providing assistance to the department.
• Handling written and telephonic inquiries from persons seeking legal assistance.
• Assisting in the maintenance of case files and compiling of press files.
• Tracking current legislation related to immigration.
• Other projects as assigned.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Commitment to civil liberties and immigrants’ rights.
• Strong interest in social justice and legal issues.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research and facility with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in Spanish a plus.
• Demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion.
• Ability to perform administrative tasks as well as research and writing.

HOW TO APPLY:
Summer applications will be accepted until positions are filled. Please send cover letter, resume and non-fiction writing sample of no more than 5 pages to immjobs@aclu.org - reference [IRP Summer Undergraduate Internship] in subject line – or by mail to:

IRP Summer Undergraduate Internship
ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project
39 Drumm Street
San Francisco, CA 94111

Thank you for your interest in the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project. If you have additional questions, please call the Internship Coordinator Sheetal Dhir at (415) 343-0776 or sdhir@aclu.org.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”