Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights invites applications for the full-time position of Staff Attorney to be based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

This position is a unique opportunity for an attorney to join a passionate team made up of social workers, attorneys, and administrative staff, to engage in interdisciplinary written and oral best interests advocacy on behalf of children in immigration removal proceedings. Young Center is appointed as independent Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children and advocates for their best interests with respect to their custody, placement, conditions of release, reunification with caregivers, repatriation, and their immigration proceedings. Young Center does not directly represent children in immigration matters but works closely with the legal service providers who may represent the children's legal interests. The Staff Attorney will help recruit, train, and supervise bilingual and bicultural volunteer Child Advocates-teachers, law students, social workers, community members-who will work one-on-one with children. The Staff Attorney will apply their legal knowledge and skills to identify issues impacting children's rights and best interests. Young Center team is a passionate and collegial group of professionals committed to ensuring that children receive the full protection of federal immigration law, domestic child welfare law and international human rights law.This position is funded primarily through a federal contract and is contingent on on-going renewals.

ABOUT THE YOUNG CENTER The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests-safety and well-being-of immigrant children in the United States. The Young Center's Child Advocate Program (CAP) serves as the federally-appointed bests interests representative for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children in federal custody. Through CAP's state initiative, we also serve and are appointed by the Superior Courts of New Jersey as independent Child Advocates to children released from federal custody into the New Jersey community. Child Advocates meet with children and learn their stories in order to identify and advocate for their best interests through an interdisciplinary, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive lens. The Young Center's Policy Program fights for wholesale reform of the immigration system while pursuing immediate changes in policy and practice that center children's rights and best interests in all decisions. The Technical Assistance Program, the Young Center's newest program, offers intersectional expertise and critical resources to advocates and service providers working with immigrant children involved in child welfare and other state court systems.

The Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We also serve children through our programs in New Jersey.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Advocate for children's best interests before government or other interested parties Supervise volunteers appointed as Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated children in federal custody in or near Grand Rapids and across the United States as needed Serve as Child Advocate to a limited number of cases or as needed Visit children as needed and communicate with caregivers, family members and stakeholders Provide internal case consultation and case support involving the state, federal, and international best interests legal principles and immigration law for the Grand Rapids office Support the local and national efforts to recruit, train, support, and retain volunteer Child Advocates Participate in internal and external working groups Meet regularly with local stakeholders (government fi

The Young Center for Immigrant Childrens Rights

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Staff Attorney, Grand Rapids