Volunteer Guide
National Immigrant Justice Center
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The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) provides low-cost and free immigration legal services to low-income immigrants in Illinois and Indiana. NIJC represents individuals seeking immigration relief, including asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, deportation/removal defense, waivers, U visas, T visas, protection under the Violence Against Women Act, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, family petitions, adjustment of status, TPS and naturalization. NIJC also represents individuals in immigration detention, including unaccompanied children. NJIC provides a free Immigration Court Help Desk at the Chicago and Indianapolis Immigration Courts. In addition, NIJC conducts community outreach and education to provide immigration legal information to immigrant communities and service providers.
| State served: | Illinois |
Services Provided
| Are immigration legal services provided? | Yes |
| Areas of immigration legal assistance: | Adjustment of Status, Asylum applications, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment authorization, Family-based petitions, Habeas Corpus, NACARA, Naturalization/Citizenship, Removal hearings, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions |
| Types of immigration legal services provided: | Help completing forms, Filings with USCIS, Representation at Asylum Interviews (Credible Fear Interviews, Reasonable Fear Interviews), Representation before the Immigration Court, Representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), Federal court appeals |
| Non-legal services: | Administrative advocacy (CIS/ICE/CBP), Legal Orientation Programs (LOP) / Know Your Rights Presentations (KYR), Legislative advocacy (state or national), Referrals to other services |
| Populations served: | Detained individuals, Domestic Violence Victims, Farm workers, Human Trafficking Survivors, Individuals who are not in legal immigration status, Individuals with criminal histories, Individuals with physical/mental disabilities, Juveniles, Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender, Torture survivors |
| Languages spoken: | English, French, Spanish |
| Access to a commercial interpreting service or language bank: | Yes |
| Nominal fee charged? | Yes |
| Other information: | NIJC provides direct representation to individuals in Illinois and Indiana. |
Staffing Information
| Number of attorneys on staff: | 65 |
| Is organization BIA recognized? | Yes |
| Number of fully accredited BIA representatives on staff: | 5 |
| Number of partially accredited BIA representatives on staff: | 5 |
| Number of paralegals/legal workers on staff: | 41 |
Additional Details
| Pro Bono opportunities? | Yes |
| Network affiliations: | American Immigration Lawyers Association, Asista, Freedom Network, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Immigration Advocates Network, National Immigration Project |