at The Young Center for Inmigrant Chrildren's rights in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Job Description
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for the position of Legal Fellow, Health Justice, to be based in one of the Young Center’s eight locations (Chicago, Harlingen, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Washington, DC). This position is full-time and is a two-year fellowship from 2023-2025. The fellowship will not renew or convert into permanent employment at the Young Center.
ABOUT THE YOUNG CENTER
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 immediate focus of the Young Center’s work is to serve as Child Advocate for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children pursuant to the 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection and Reauthorization Act and the 2013 Violence Against Women Act. Our role is to identify and advocate for the best interests of immigrant children both while they are in federal custody and after they are released, applying federal and state law and long-recognized principles of the best interests of the child. Young Center also engages in policy work, advocating with legislators, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to promote consideration of the best interests of the child in all decisions concerning immigrant children and to create a dedicated juvenile immigrant justice system that treats children as children. Young Center has programs in Houston, San Antonio, Harlingen, Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
The Legal Fellow, Health Justice, will support the work of the Young Center’s policy team by engaging in legal and policy advocacy towards ensuring access to reproductive health care for unaccompanied immigrant youth in federal government custody. The Fellow will conduct legal research and data analysis related to reproductive health care access for immigrant youth and may work on amicus briefs to support legal challenges to barriers to reproductive health care for immigrant youth. The Fellow will be supervised by the Director of Policy and Litigation. We encourage applications from recent law school graduates, including those completing judicial clerkships, as well as practicing attorneys who are seeking to expand their experience in policy advocacy and with an interest in working at the intersection of reproductive justice, children’s rights, and immigrant rights.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Depending on the needs of the project, responsibilities may include:
Conducting factual and legal research and drafting legal memos and briefs, policy analyses, and public education materials regarding reproductive health care access for unaccompanied immigrant youth and immigrant youth.
Assisting in identifying amicus brief opportunities by researching and monitoring state and federal litigation and assisting with drafting of amicus briefs and coordinating amicus efforts in collaboration with partner organizations and pro bono counsel.
Tracking federal and state developments in reproductive health care access (including legislation and litigation), particularly restrictions that would significantly impact youth access while in government custody.
Working with other policy team members to track proposed state and federal legislation that would affect immigrant youth reproductive health care access and engaging in advocacy to support legislation that would protect and/or expand healthcare access for unaccompanied youth and immigrant youth.
Tracking and monitoring issues experienced by unaccompanied youth in federal custody in accessing reproductive health care services.
Engaging in advocacy with government agencies, including assisting with drafting comments regarding proposed regulations, to better ensure reproductive health care access for unaccompanied youth and immigrant youth.
Working in coalition with partner organizations on ensuring health care access for unaccompanied youth and immigrant youth.
Conducting outreach to community-based organizations serving pregnant and parenting youth.
Building relationships... For full info follow application link.
The Young Center is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in and affirmatively factors diversity into its hiring practices. Young Center encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans’ status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process; no application will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.
