Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney

The Opportunity

Position Title: Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney

Department: IRC

Location: Anaheim, CA

Reports To: Immigrants' Rights Senior Managing Attorney

Classification: Exempt

Status: Full-Time, Temporary position until December 31, 2027. Occasional evening and weekends required

Compensation: $100,000–$105,415/annually commensurate with skills and experience

Join the team behind the mission

Every day, people across California turn to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, California (CAIR-CA) when they face discrimination, threats to their civil rights, or challenges to their freedom to practice their faith. As the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in California, we protect constitutional rights, advance justice, and empower communities through legal advocacy, public policy, civic engagement, and education.

Since 1994, that work has been made possible by a dedicated team committed to serving individuals, families, and communities across California. Behind every case, campaign, and initiative are people working together to create meaningful change.

Whether you serve clients directly or support our mission behind the scenes, your work helps build a more just, inclusive, and equitable California.

Why CAIR-CA

Meaningful Work: Your work directly contributes to protecting civil rights, advancing justice, and strengthening communities throughout California.

Collaborative Culture: Team members value respect, teamwork, innovation, and continuous learning.

Professional Growth: We support your development through mentorship and opportunities to expand your skills and impact.

Purpose-Driven Environment: Colleagues create meaningful change and serve communities with dedication and integrity.

Statewide Impact: No matter your role, your contributions advance CAIR-CA's mission and create lasting impact throughout California.

How You'll Make an Impact

CAIR-LA is looking for a passionate and talented individual to be our Senior Immigrants' Rights Attorney to provide immigration legal consultations and direct legal representation to our clients before USCIS, EOIR and other federal agencies. The attorney will maintain a full removal defense caseload and assist with some affirmative applications before USCIS.

In this role, you will do the following:

Leadership and Supervision

• Provide leadership and supervision to the Immigrants' Rights legal team and help develop legal strategies
• Assist with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Immigrants' Rights team including management of intakes, immigrants' rights staff, clerks, and monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting
• Supervise casework of attorneys, coordinators, caseworkers, paralegals, DOJ accredited representatives, volunteers, including law students and interns and ensure their success by providing training, consultation, and guidance as needed
• Oversee retained case load to ensure all intakes and retained cases are properly documented and advanced
• Participate in CAIR-LA's Management Team, including regular meetings, advice to executives, and facilitation of organizational goals

Legal Representation

• Conduct client intakes, prepare immigration applications and petitions for submission to the appropriate agencies, legal screenings to provide consultations, and provide full-scope representation
• Represent clients before various government agencies (USCIS, ICE, CBP, EOIR, BIA, DOS, and Appeals Court) and in litigation
• Communicate with outside parties such as attorneys, employers, law enforcement agencies, administrative agencies, elected officials, and media contacts
• Manage a reasonable, high-impact caseload, balancing short-term direct services and longer-term full scope retainers, and manage complex immigration cases as needed

Community Engagement

• Respond to intake requests from organizational leaders for key community stakeholders and members to ensure they are properly addressed
• Participate in community outreach and educational activities, including assisting with planning and conducting legal clinics, Know Your Rights events and Immigration Legal clinics, and other community events
• Participate in and help form coalitions with partner organizations to collaborate with and uplift immigrant communities and immigrant-led organizations
• Co-lead CAIR-LA's efforts on rapid response issues, alongside CAIR-LA's Management Team

Legal Research and Documentation

• Research and analyze legal sources such as statutes, legal articles, and legal codes to prepare documents such as memos, training material, advisories, motions, immigration applications, and appeals
• Prepare legal writing including, but not limited to, drafting complaints, discovery, briefs, letters, and memos; and non-legal writing including drafting community advisories, issue briefings, and reports
• Identify, develop, lead, and oversee litigation efforts including legal writing and review of complaints, demand letters, motions, discovery, and other litigation-related documents; conducting and defending depositions; attending legal hearings.

Grant Management

• Provide information and input as needed to the Grant/Development Team for immigrants' rights grants applications
• Primary contact and management of monitoring on assigned grants, grant requirements, deliverables, deadlines, preparing grant reports, reporting for current and future grants as received, and identifying cases for grants to ensure the cases meets grant requirements
• Collaborate with the grants team to ensure the successful submission and completion of grants, including support preparing grant applications, ensuring the successful completion of deliverables, and overseeing grant reports as needed

Client Assessment and Referrals

• Assist with maintaining a referral database and utilize it strategically and thoughtfully to provide referrals to potential clients who CAIR is unable to assist
• Provide in-house referrals for callers with issues within CAIR's scope of legal expertise or refer out to external practitioners for callers with issues outside of CAIR's scope of legal expertise

Marketing and Reporting

• Partner with the Executive Director, Communications Manager, and colleagues to strategize and implement marketing for CAIR-LA's immigrants' rights services and impact
• Assist other staff in the production of internal and external reports, including data collection, testimonials, narrative writing, and serving as the final reviewer where needed
• Market immigration services, includes demonstrating an accurate and up-to-date understanding of CAIR's services to community members, leaders, and other stakeholders

All CAIR staff are required to assist in general duties such as answering phones, weekly outreach, and other office tasks.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Law degree from an American Bar Association-accredited school
• License to practice law and in good standing in at least one state
• Minimum three years of immigration law experience with at least two of those years focused on removal defense cases
• Strong time management skills with a demonstrated ability for meeting deadlines
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills with outstanding attention to detail
• Ability to be productive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including public speaking experience
• Experience working with people from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds
• Access to reliable transportation to drive to various Southern California cities for client interviews and hearings
• Ability to maintain discretion and client confidentiality
• High degree of self-motivation and creativity
• A strong commitment to CAIR's mission
• Basic computer proficiency including knowledge of MS Office Suite
• Knowledge of cloud applications such as SharePoint, Office365 and social media applications

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluent/proficient in one of the following languages: Arabic, Farsi/Dari, Pashto, or Urdu
• Experience working with nonprofit organizations and the Muslim community
• At least 3 years or more of experience in areas of asylum, family-based petitions, removal defense, and naturalization

What You'll Gain

At CAIR-CA, we believe our employees are essential to advancing our mission. We strive to provide a workplace where employees can grow professionally while doing meaningful work.

Depending on eligibility, our benefits include:

• Competitive Compensation
• Hybrid Work Schedules
• Generous Time Off: 12 Paid Holidays, 10 Sick Days, and 12 Vacation Days
• Comprehensive Benefits:
  • 100% employer-paid medical and dental insurance for employees and dependents.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Perks:
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Paid parental leave
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Sabbatical Leave

How to Apply

We encourage interested candidates to apply early. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

To apply, please submit:

• A cover letter explaining your interest in the position and why you are a strong fit for the role
• A current resume
• A brief writing sample
• The names and contact information for three professional references

Application Deadline: Open until filled.

Equal Opportunity Employer

CAIR-CA is an equal opportunity employer and adheres to all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

Empowering American Muslims. Protecting Civil Rights. Promoting Justice.