Legal Assistant, Detention Project (Two-Year Fellowship)

About the role

Based in Portland, Maine, with a satellite office in Lewiston, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP’s mission is to advance justice for Maine’s immigrants through free immigration legal services, community outreach, and advocacy. ILAP’s work includes direct legal services for over 5,000 clients each year; education and outreach to immigrant communities and service providers; and systemic advocacy on local, state, and federal immigration law issues. The Legal Assistant, Detention Project supports ILAP’s work to expand access to legal services for individuals impacted by immigration detention. This position is a two-year, fixed-term fellowship.

Responsibilities

• Review and triage incoming requests for legal assistance for detained individuals.
• Conduct screening calls with family members and other close contacts of detained individuals to gather relevant information.
• Gather, organize, and maintain supporting documents and records related to screenings.
• Coordinate with Detention Project staff to ensure timely attorney review of completed screenings and elevate urgent matters as appropriate.
• Communicate with family members and close contacts regarding case status and decisions concerning representation.
• Update and maintain the Detention Project’s internal tracking systems used to support legal triage, monitor immigration enforcement trends, and track program outcomes.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of communications, screenings, and case-related activity in ILAP’s case management system (LegalServer).
• Help ensure the accuracy, consistency, and completeness of detention-related data used for internal planning, advocacy, grant reporting, and program evaluation.
• Assist with bond-related advocacy and logistics, including submitting payment requests to bond funds.
• Coordinate transportation and release-related logistics for clients released from detention.
• As needed, provide paralegal and administrative support to ILAP attorneys representing detained clients.