INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY 

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 

IMPORTANT NOTES

• We are currently accepting applications for Fall 2024 internships; we have completed Summer 2024 internship hiring cycle.
• We can only offer internships to students enrolled at U.S. law schools who will have completed at least one year of law school before the internship commences. Undergraduates, students at non-U.S. law schools, law graduates, and others should not apply. For other opportunities at the ACLU please visit https://www.aclu.org/careers/.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Immigrant Rights Project at the National ACLU has an opening for a Legal Internship in New York, NY or San Francisco, CA.

The Immigrants’ Rights Project is part of the Legal Department of the national ACLU, and has offices in New York and San Francisco. For over 30 years, the Project has litigated in trial and appellate courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of immigrants and seek equal justice under the law. Our work has focused on due process, access to the courts, unfair detention, equal treatment, and state and local laws and policies. For example, we have challenged family separation; the Muslim ban; multiple attacks on the asylum system; indefinite and mandatory detention; immigration detainers; state and local anti-immigrant laws, including Arizona’s SB 1070; racial and language profiling connected to immigration enforcement; and attempts to eliminate judicial review. We work closely with partners at the national ACLU and affiliates, as well as allied organizations, to pursue litigation and to engage in and support other forms of advocacy and education.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drafting memoranda, affidavits, and briefs
• Conducting legal and policy research
• Researching prospects for new litigation, including both factual and legal claims
• Researching and drafting materials for public education
• Legislative bill tracking and analysis
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
• Demonstrate a commitment to the mission of the ACLU
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
• Demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

This posting provides a general but not comprehensive list of the opportunities of the internship.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

The internship is open to students enrolled at U.S. law schools who will have completed at least one year of law school before the internship commences. For Summer internships, our office generally limits internships to those who will have finished their second year of law school by the time they start the internship. Students who will have finished only their first year may also be considered, depending on remaining Summer intern capacity. 

Interns should possess the following:

• Excellent research skills, including conducting internet and legal database research
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and writing
• Attention to detail, excellent organizing and time-management skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• The initiative to see projects through to completion
• A commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice
• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

• Location: Our offices are currently operating in reduced capacities. We plan to launch an internship program that offers a limited number of in-person, remote, or hybrid intern positions.
• Time Commitment: Term-time internships require a full-time commitment of 35 hours per week or a part-time commitment of 20 hours per week. Summer internships require a full-time commitment.
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks and part-time 12 weeks.
• Fall: September – December 
• Winter/Spring: January – April
• Summer: June – August 
• Stipend: A stipend is available for those students who do not receive course credit and are lawfully authorized to work. Students who receive outside funding are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for that term, if applicable. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below is the stipend breakdown:
• $24/hour for law students.

APPLICATION TIMELINE & INSTRUCTIONS

Summer: Selections for Summer postings will take place beginning the third week of August on a rolling basis. 

The hiring team will review applications until at least November 1, and will hold at least one internship position open in each of the New York and California offices until then. 

Fall and Spring: Applications for Fall, Winter, and Spring internships will be reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning approximately five months before the internship would start. 

Cover Letter: In their cover letter applicants should describe their interest in immigrants’ rights and civil liberties, including any relevant life or work experience gained before or during law school. Please specify your desired office location (New York or San Francisco) in the cover letter and the term you are applying for. If you are interested in both offices, please apply separately to each and indicate that you have done so in your cover letter.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled. 

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

The ACLU makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions.

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.