Catholic Migration Services (“CMS”), an affiliated agency of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, provides high-quality free legal services, community education, and advocacy for low-income immigrants residing in Brooklyn and Queens, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status.
CMS assists individuals with their immigration, housing, and employment legal needs. CMS is committed to “welcoming the stranger in our midst” by serving and working alongside underserved immigrant communities to advance equality and social justice in an ever-changing landscape.
The Supervising Attorney will work in our downtown Brooklyn office with our Pro Se Plus Project (PSPP), a collaborative initiative of several non-profit legal service providers developed to respond to the needs of newly arrived migrants from the southern border. PSPP provides community legal orientations, advocate training, legal screenings, and pro se assistance with various immigration applications, both on a rolling basis and through scalable clinics and workshops. This role offers a unique opportunity for someone passionate about immigrant rights, eager to empower immigrant communities, and interested in developing an innovative project.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Participate in developing and implementing the PSPP initiative in collaboration with the Managing Attorney of the Immigration Program, the Removal Defense Project's Supervising Attorney, the PSPP Associate Supervising Attorney, and our partners, including African Communities Together, Central American Legal Assistance, UnLocal, New York Legal Assistance Group, Masa, and VIA;Train, onboard, and supervise the PSPP team and volunteers alongside the PSPP Associate Supervising Attorney;Provide legal advice on screenings conducted by PSPP paralegals and volunteers; review and approve applications prepared by them;Plan, develop, and conduct community legal orientations, volunteer trainings, and clinics with the PSPP team;Conduct eligibility screenings for immigration benefits;Prepare a variety of immigration applications and motions on a pro se basis, including changes of address, motions to change venue, asylum applications, and work permits;Train, onboard, and supervise PSPP volunteers in conducting screenings and providing pro se application assistance;Participate in PSPP meetings with collaborators and funders;Contribute to on-site and virtual PSPP events, including legal clinics, educational events, and workshops, which may occur evenings and weekends;Maintain a small caseload, representing clients in removal proceedings, affirmative applications before USCIS, guardianship and custody hearings, and federal appellate and district courts with supervisor approval;Maintain client files and update case information regularly in CMS's case management system;Provide data for internal and external reports;Perform other duties as assigned.#J-18808-Ljbffr
