In the context of a rapidly changing, often anti-immigrant political landscape, Berkeley Immigration Group’s (BIG) mission is to support the legal rights of immigrants through pro bono legal services, advocacy, and partnerships with organizations working to dismantle the carceral immigration system.
Students will have the opportunity to work alongside attorneys and other BIG members to provide free direct legal services to immigrants and contribute to critical research and advocacy to end immigration detention. Please note that these opportunities may change or shift over the course of the year in order to best respond to the rapidly changing political landscape.
There are several projects available to students this year.
First, students may work with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ) on one of three projects. Students who can commit to BIG for the academic year may assist detained clients in preparing for bond hearings. Students may also conduct intake interviews with recently detained individuals, or prepare requests for stays of removal for clients who are at risk of immediate deportation.
Students may also work with Innovation Law Lab’s Legal Organizing team to support individuals who are in ICE detention at Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico and Law Lab’s coalition efforts to shut down ICE detention in the region. Projects may include: conducting intake interviews with detained advocates, preparing release requests, and monitoring potential detention expansion and contract continuation in New Mexico.
Students may also support the National Lawyers Guild’s Immigration Court Observation Program (ICOP) by observing and monitoring immigration court proceedings in the Bay Area, helping to safeguard the rights of immigrants appearing in court.
Finally, students may work with the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership (ACILEP) to support local rapid response networks through actions potentially including but not limited to: drafting preliminary filings such as stay of removal requests for vulnerable immigrants, staffing the rapid response hotline, assisting with asylum applications, helping facilitate Know Your Rights workshops, and accompanying immigrant community members to their ICE check-ins.
Supervision: Students in BIG provide legal services under the supervision of attorneys at California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, the Innovation Law Lab, and Centro Legal de la Raza.
Time Commitment: Time commitment will vary between 15-30 hours a semester depending on which projects students choose to participate in. However, members should expect to attend at least one hour-long project-specific training session in the fall semester, one two-hour collective SLP training session in the fall semester, and a few project meetings per semester (approximately once per month). If members express a desire to work together or to socialize with members of other projects, BIG co-leaders can organize optional events as well. We can ensure 25 hours before the end of the school year for students that will apply for the Edley Grant.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at berkeleyimmigrationgroup@berkeley.edu.