Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP)

Jobs and Internships

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) sees a future where the United States welcomes individuals fleeing violence. Below please find opportunities to join our team.

Communications Director

Location: Remote workplace, location flexible.

Start Date: We are considering applications on a rolling basis.

The Role

The Communications Director will be part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the public and key stakeholders hear from the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) and ASAP members directly. ASAP works to advance asylum seekers’ policy priorities through strategic media outreach. These policy priorities come directly from its members — over 200,000 asylum seekers from over 185 countries. This large and diverse membership makes ASAP uniquely positioned to advocate for asylum seekers’ goals and a more welcoming U.S. asylum system.

The Communications Director is responsible for developing and implementing ASAP’s communications strategy and serving as a point of contact for reporters, non-profit partners, and ASAP members interested in speaking out publicly on behalf of ASAP’s membership. This position will also manage public relations consultants, develop and carry out social and conventional media strategies, and develop messaging tactics for specialized and general audiences, including ASAP members, members of the media, key partners, and allies.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and coordinate media outreach, triage media requests, pitch stories, and develop relationships with key media sources to advance ASAP’s mission and highlight its impact.
  • Lead and coordinate media-facing rapid response activities, including hosting press conference calls and briefings, drafting quotes, and fielding media requests.
  • Draft and edit press releases and advisories.
  • Develop a proactive communications plan and calendar, and report monthly on progress toward earned media communications goals.
  • Closely track current events and advise on hooks and angles to insert ASAP and ASAP members’ perspectives into the news.
  • Support ASAP staff and members who are engaging with media, including by helping prepare staff and members for media interviews in both English and Spanish.
  • Track ASAP’s media coverage, update the website, and manage press lists.
  • Engage on social media and draft posts.
  • Draft email blasts, blog posts, and other content for multiple audiences, including the media and ASAP’s members, in both English and Spanish.
  • Coordinate with programming teams to develop leads and identify opportunities to elevate our programs, activities, and other content to drive media coverage of the organization and ASAP members.
  • Ensure that ASAP’s communications strategy and materials are increasingly intersectional and equitable.
  • Provide interpretation for Spanish-speaking ASAP members for media calls, and provide translation support for ASAP materials, which are fully bilingual in English and Spanish.

Qualifications 

A successful Communications Director will be able to effectively reach media audiences and other external stakeholders to amplify ASAP’s work. Although familiarity with issues related to immigration and asylum is preferred, the ability to translate complex policy ideas and the law to broader audiences is essential.

  • Must be a strong and fast writer and editor.
  • Must be committed to ASAP’s mission, members, and member-centered advocacy style.
  • Must have strong planning and time management skills, with an ability to coordinate deliverables across multiple internal collaborators.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in media relations or related experience is required.
  • Fluency in written and spoken Spanish is required.
  • Ability to exhibit trauma-informed and culturally competent approaches to working with people with historically marginalized identities is required.
  • Experience generating content for broader audiences with a focus on accessibility preferred.
  • Experience with social media and digital organizing preferred.
  • Experience developing and implementing advocacy and/or communications strategies involving several stakeholders preferred.

Salary & Benefits

The salary for this position is $80,000 – $110,000, commensurate with qualifications. ASAP offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance coverage at no cost, 401K matching, generous paid vacation, personal, and sick days, and paid parental leave.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply at this link. The position will be open until it is filled. If you have questions, please email [email protected].

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

Litigation Counsel or Senior Litigation Counsel

Location: Remote workplace, location flexible.

Start Date: We are considering applications on a rolling basis.

The Role

The Litigation Counsel position will be part of the organization’s systemic reform team, with a focus on participatory impact litigation and advocacy efforts for ASAP’s over 160,000 members, consisting of individuals and families who are seeking asylum in the United States. The Litigation Counsel will join a team focused on making change through litigation, policy advocacy, and strategic media opportunities. Above all, ASAP’s litigation practice serves its members’ needs and is participatory. Even though we focus on impact litigation, ASAP’s members and clients are intimately involved with our practice. We prioritize centering impacted persons in litigation and making sure any legal relief that is won in litigation actually reaches those in need.

ASAP’s litigation practice covers cases challenging major federal regulations and policies, as well as cases representing individual asylum seekers pursuing monetary damages and injunctive relief. In addition to serving as counsel, ASAP’s litigation team often supports ASAP in its role as an organizational plaintiff.

For this position we are looking for a candidate with between 3-6 years of litigation experience specifically in federal court (not immigration court). We are looking for a candidate with excellent judgement who can serve as a lead or co-lead attorney on cases.

Responsibilities

  • Help manage ASAP’s impact litigation work, including helping to supervise an active caseload of complex federal impact litigation before federal courts and executive agencies;
  • Help ensure ASAP’s clients and members guide the strategic direction of ASAP’s litigation docket;
  • Help develop new legal theories and litigation strategies;
  • Help supervise junior attorneys, legal fellows, and interns;
  • Draft and edit legal filings and engage in legal research for cases before immigration agencies and federal courts;
  • Represent ASAP in federal court and before federal agencies, including as an oral advocate;
  • Communicate effectively with clients and members engaging in strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and media outreach;
  • Participate in, collaborate with, and support staff in ASAP’s systemic reform department.
  • Help maintain relationships with pro bono counsel, other co-counsel, and plaintiff organizations (e.g., firms, public interest organizations, community groups);
  • Assist in representing ASAP in local, national, international coalitions and working groups as needed.

Qualifications

  • Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred;
  • A J.D. degree and admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction required;
  • 3–6 years of relevant litigation experience in federal court required (clerkships count towards this requirement.)
  • Experience in complex civil litigation, civil rights litigation, and immigration law valued;
  • Demonstrated strategic judgement in litigation context and demonstrated capacity to take a leading role in managing cases;
  • Prior experience working on behalf of asylum seekers and immigrants preferred;
  • Excellent legal strategy, analysis, drafting, and editing skills;
  • Excellent oral communication skills, including in both legal advocacy and broader public communication;
  • Ability to work independently and within a team;
  • Some experience managing staff preferred;
  • A developed race and equity lens that informs your work and guides your leadership;
  • Commitment to supporting the development of a high-performing department that utilizes litigation, policy, and media strategy creatively in the fight for systemic change.

Salary & Benefits

Salary for this position is commensurate with qualifications, with a range of $70-90,000. ASAP offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance coverage at no cost, 401K matching, generous paid vacation, personal, and sick days, and paid parental leave.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply at this link.  The position will be open until it is filled. If you have questions, please email [email protected] .

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

 

Contract Attorney Position: $100/hour to answer asylum seekers’ legal questions

ASAP has grown to serve 160,000+ asylum-seeking members, and we are seeking experienced immigration attorneys to field our members’ immigration legal questions!

As we scale our membership services, ASAP will periodically be bringing on new contractors as the need arises. We will reach out to candidates on an ongoing basis, based on the volume of questions we receive from our members.

We are looking to contract immigration attorneys for 1-2 hours per day for 2-5 days a week at the rate of $100 per hour. Attorneys will receive a list of questions from ASAP members in Spanish and will provide a help-desk style answers in writing the same day, without further follow up or communication with the member. All work can be done remotely and online.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Contract Attorney,” including a brief description of your Spanish proficiency and immigration legal experience along with a resume or a link to your LinkedIn profile or professional bio. Please note that we will reach out to candidates on an ongoing basis, as the need arises. If you do not hear back from us immediately, we may still be hiring for this position at a later time. Selected candidates will be asked to do a 20-minute interview including a Spanish screen. Those who move forward will be asked to do a 1-hour timed Q&A answer session, which will be compensated at $100/hour

View sample questions here.

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

 

Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney – Remote Help Desk

ASAP is hiring an English-Spanish bilingual attorney to help answer legal questions and create resources for ASAP’s membership of over 225,000 asylum seekers! We are looking for an experienced immigration lawyer who brings strong English and Spanish writing skills and a commitment to helping asylum seekers navigate the U.S. immigration system on their own.

About ASAP

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) is the largest membership organization of asylum seekers in the United States, with over 225,000 members from 185 countries. Thousands more asylum seekers become ASAP members each week, joining a collective effort to build a United States that welcomes individuals fleeing violence. For more information, visit our website at www.asylumadvocacy.org.

Location

Remote workplace, location flexible in the United States.

Responsibilities

  • Answer asylum seekers’ legal questions on a range of topics.
  • Manage and support outside immigration attorney contractors who answer members’ legal questions.
  • Provide final legal signoff and review on both answers to member questions and publicly shared resources.
  • Create clear, actionable, and legally accurate content in both English and Spanish for thousands of asylum seekers, including FAQs, legal announcements, and videos.
  • Translate content drafted by others into Spanish.
  • Continually improve and maintain ASAP’s existing resources, including by responding to members’ feedback.
  • Work collaboratively as part of ASAP’s member services team, pitching in on other projects for our members as needed.

Qualifications

  • Fluent in Spanish and English.
  • Outstanding and accessible writer.
  • Passion for helping asylum seekers navigate the U.S. immigration system without a lawyer.
  • 2+ years of experience providing legal services to asylum seekers.
  • A J.D. degree and admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
  • Exceptional organizational skills and ability to balance multiple projects and deadlines.
  • Exceptional attention to detail.
  • Graphic design, web design, and/or video editing skills are a plus.
  • Commitment to ASAP’s mission.

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $70,000 – $90,000, commensurate with qualifications. ASAP offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance coverage at no cost, 401K matching, generous paid vacation, personal, and sick days, and paid parental leave.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply at this link. The position will be open until it is filled. If you have questions, please email [email protected]

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

 

Senior Writer – Legal Resources for Asylum Seekers

ASAP is hiring a Senior Writer to create accessible legal resources for ASAP’s membership of over 225,000 asylum seekers! We are looking for a talented writer and editor who brings immigration legal experience, creativity, and a commitment to helping asylum seekers navigate the U.S. immigration system on their own.

We welcome applicants interested in either a full-time, salaried position or a part-time contractor position.

About ASAP

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) is the largest membership organization of asylum seekers in the United States, with over 225,000 members from more than 185 countries. Thousands more asylum seekers become ASAP members each week, joining a collective effort to build a United States that welcomes individuals fleeing violence. For more information, visit our website at www.asylumadvocacy.org.

Location

Remote workplace, location flexible in the United States.

Responsibilities

The Senior Writer will create clear, actionable, and legally accurate content for ASAP’s membership of 225,000+ asylum seekers. Each month, ASAP sends urgent legal updates and practical how-to information to our members. These resources are accessed more than 100,000 times each month.

The Senior Writer will be responsible for writing, editing, and updating resources, and continually improving them in response to feedback. The Senior Writer will also help answer specific immigration legal questions from members.

Examples of ASAP resources include:

  • Frequently asked questions about the asylum process and work permits
  • Explainers about federal litigation brought by ASAP members
  • Video scripts about how to navigate cases in immigration court and at USCIS
  • Updates about changes to immigration policy
  • Action alerts for members to take part in collective advocacy

Qualifications

  • Outstanding, accessible, and efficient writer.
  • Passion for creating resources for asylum seekers navigating the U.S. immigration system without a lawyer.
  • A J.D. degree and 2+ years of immigration legal experience. Alternatively, we would welcome an applicant with a proven ability to write autonomously and accurately about complex immigration legal topics.
  • Ability to synthesize and distill large amounts of complex information into the most important points.
  • Strong editorial decision-making in the face of competing priorities and feedback.
  • Exceptional attention to detail.
  • Spanish fluency is a plus.
  • Graphic design, web design, and/or video skills are a plus.

Salary & Benefits

For full-time applicants, the salary range for this position is $80,000-110,000, commensurate with qualifications. ASAP offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance coverage at no cost, 401K matching, generous paid vacation, personal, and sick days, and paid parental leave.

Part-time contractors would be paid a comparable hourly rate, commensurate with qualifications.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply at this link. The position will be open until it is filled. If you have questions, please email [email protected]

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

Software Engineer

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) seeks a full-time Software Engineer to join our nimble, growing organization!

About ASAP: ASAP sees a future where the United States welcomes individuals fleeing violence. We work alongside our members — thousands of asylum seekers — to make this vision a reality. Over the past year, ASAP has grown to become the largest membership organization of asylum seekers in the United States. Today, ASAP has over 225,000 asylum seeker members from 185+ countries and living in all 50 states. Thousands of new members apply to join ASAP each week.

This hire would be the second software engineer on ASAP’s growing team. You would work alongside Software Engineer Ngan Tran and report directly to Co-Executive Director Swapna Reddy. Together, ASAP’s software engineers will build systems and tools that work for 150,000+ asylum seekers. Our ideal software engineer is a versatile worker, thrives in a start-up environment, and is passionate about ASAP’s mission.

Location: Remote workplace, location flexible in the United States.

Responsibilities 

  • Design and build user-oriented software tools to work for 200,000+ asylum-seeking members.
  • Prototype applications in several environments and languages.
  • Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code.
  • Adopt good software engineering practices and methodologies, particularly Agile.
  • Understand ASAP’s technology priorities, effectively collect project requirements, and offer solutions.
  • Communicate effectively about technical problems and solutions, including to stakeholders without technical backgrounds.
  • Maintain and scale existing applications.
  • Rapidly investigate and troubleshoot problems.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and/or 1+ years experience as a Full Stack Engineer.
  • A commitment to putting member accessibility first.
  • Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of Python and/or JavaScript.
  • Experience with backend servers, databases (PostgreSQL/MySQL) and REST APIs.
  • Familiarity of best practices around code review, testing, and documentation.
  • Experience or interest in building applications involving Twilio, Facebook, Whatsapp, GSuite, and/or CRMs.
  • Passion for developing scalable and maintainable software systems.
  • Ability to adapt to change and be flexible, balancing multiple projects and deadlines at once.
  • Motivation to learn new tools and technologies to complete a project with maximum efficiency.
  • Commitment to ASAP’s mission and vision.
  • Spanish fluency is a plus, but not required.

Application Process, Salary & Benefits

Interested applicants should apply at this link and will be considered on a rolling basis.  Applicants who pass an initial screening interview will be asked to build a sample API in Python or JavaScript as a skills test. The salary range for this position is $90,000-$120,000, commensurate with skills and qualifications. ASAP offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance coverage at no cost, 401K matching, generous paid vacation and sick days, and paid parental leave. If you have questions, please email [email protected].

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

 

Spring or Summer 2022 Litigation Internships

ASAP is currently accepting applications for litigation interns to join our remote team in Spring and Summer of 2022.

About ASAP

ASAP sees a future where the United States welcomes individuals fleeing violence. We work alongside our members — thousands of asylum seekers — to make this vision a reality. Our model has three components: digital community, legal resources and member-led advocacy. We work with individuals who have come to the United States seeking asylum, regardless of where they are now located.

Responsibilities

Interns will work under attorney supervision to support ASAP’s thousands of members — asylum seekers from over 175 countries and all 50 states. Internship responsibilities could include: conducting research for federal court litigation and advocacy, creating resources for asylum seekers who have not yet found attorneys, and screening and welcoming new members.

Requirements

Litigation interns must be currently enrolled in law school and pursuing a U.S. law degree. Please note that Spanish proficiency and a language assessment over the phone is required for any internship position with ASAP; interns must be capable of working with an individual in Spanish without an interpreter. ASAP will ensure that all interns receive school credit or compensation for their internships. ASAP has a remote workplace, and location is flexible.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should fill out this survey and send a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample to: [email protected], using the subject line “Spring 2022 Litigation Internship Application” or “Summer 2022 Litigation Internship Application.”

Application Timeline 

For the Spring 2022 litigation internship, we will be considering applications on a rolling basis until January 10, 2022.

For the Summer 2022 litigation internship, we have closed our cycle for 2L candidates on November 12, 2021. We are now accepting 1L candidates and will close our cycle on February 1, 2022.

If you have any questions, you can email [email protected]

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

 

ASAP is currently accepting applications for policy and legal interns to join our remote team for Spring or Summer of 2022.

About ASAP

ASAP sees a future where the United States welcomes individuals fleeing violence. We work alongside our members — thousands of asylum seekers — to make this vision a reality. Our model has three components: digital community, legal resources and member-led advocacy. We work with individuals who have come to the United States seeking asylum, regardless of where they are now located.

Responsibilities

Interns will work under the supervision of the policy director to support ASAP’s over 200,000 members — asylum seekers from over 180 countries and all 50 states. Internship responsibilities could include: analyzing legislation and policy proposals related to immigration and asylum seekers’ rights, researching emerging issues and writing blog posts for ASAP members about key policy updates, attending congressional hearings and meetings remotely.

Requirements

Policy and legal interns must be currently enrolled in law school and pursuing a U.S. law degree or have graduated from law school. Please note that Spanish proficiency and a language assessment over the phone is required for any internship position with ASAP. ASAP will ensure that all interns receive school credit or compensation for their internships. ASAP is a remote workplace, and location is flexible.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should fill out this survey.

Application Timeline 

For the Spring 2022 policy and legal internship, we will be considering applications on a rolling basis until January 10, 2022.

For the Summer 2022 policy and legal internship, we will be considering candidates on a rolling basis and will close our cycle on March 4, 2022.

If you have any questions, you can email [email protected].

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

 

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