Spring 2026 Legal Intern, Immigrant Right's Project
Spring 2026 Legal Intern, Immigrant Right's Project
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1 Vacancy
Job Description
About the Role
The ACLU seeks aSpringLegal Intern in the ImmigrantRights Project of the ACLUs National office.This position may be remote or hybrid and can be based in New York City or San Francisco. This internship is for course credit only.
Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.
The Team:
The Immigrants Rights Project is part of the Legal Department of the national ACLU and has offices in New York and San Francisco. For nearly 40 years the Project has litigated in trial and appellate courts across the country including the U.S. 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 removals under the Alien Enemies Act; the targeting of student activists for arrest detention and deportation; family separation; the Muslim ban; multiple attacks on the asylum system; indefinite and mandatory detention; immigration detainers; state and local anti-immigrant laws; 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.
What Youll Do:
The interns will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience working with IRP. They will learn about impact litigation and other legal advocacy tools on immigrants rights issues by working closely with attorneys in developing and litigating cases across various jurisdictions.
Your Day to Day:
- 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
What Youll Bring:
The internship is open tostudentsenrolled at U.S. law schoolswho will have completedat least one year of law schoolbefore the internship commences. Please specify your desired office location (New York or San Francisco or both) in the cover letter and the term you are applying for. 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
Future ACLUers Will:
- Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
- Center and embed the principles of equity inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
- Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts
Internship Logistics
- Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be remote or hybrid based in our NYC or San Francisco office.
- Time Commitment: Summer internships require a full-time (35 hours/week) commitment.
- Internship Duration: Full-time summer internships span 10 consecutive weeks with a start date of January 12 or January 26.
- Stipend: This internship is for course credit only.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:In thefirst sentence of your cover letter please specify your desired office location (New York or San Francisco) If you are interested in both offices please specify this.
Priority Application Deadline: October 22 2025
While there is a priority deadline our project is committed to reviewing all applications on a rolling basis until the closing of posting.
Why the ACLU
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 its 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.
Our Commitment to Accessibility Equity Diversity & Inclusion
Accessibility equity diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty equality and justice for all. For us diversity equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. 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 were in the courts or in the office we believe We the People means all of us.
With this commitment in mind we strongly encourage 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.
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. If you are selected for an interview you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.
In order to be considered for this position all candidates must formally submit an application.The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.
Required Experience:
Intern
Employment Type
Contract
