As you may know, Phoenix will be welcoming more than a thousand Afghans fleeing the Taliban. Many will only be coming with a temporary humanitarian parole and will need support seeking asylum.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and local agencies are working to provide emergency social support and the AZ Council on Arab-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the IRC, the Phoenix Legal Action Network (PLAN), and local attorneys are working to organize legal clinics to meet the legal needs of these families in the coming weeks and months. We are hoping you will step up to support these efforts to provide access to counsel.
At this time, we are only seeking attorneys (all attorneys not just immigration attorneys), BIA accredited representatives, paralegal/legal assistants, law graduates, and law students to volunteer for this effort. Volunteer opportunities will begin in Novemeber and continue in the coming months as more Afghans arrive in Phoenix.
Next Steps:
To join us in this effort, please complete this interest survey. The survey allows you a chance to express your preferred way to support. Please share within your networks and with your paralegals, interns etc.
Questions? Or are you or your firm interested in sponsoring the event to offset costs? Please contact info [at] planphx.org for more information
More opportunities in Phoenix, AZ
Family Reunification Volunteer
The R&P Family Reunification Volunteer assists the Family Reunification Specialist in the coordination of Affidavit of Relationship (AOR) applications within the Reception and Placement (R&P) program. The volunteer will primarily assist in outreach to refugee clients, ethnic community-based organizations, and religious communities to provide information on the newly expanded AOR program. The volunteer will assist in the collection of supporting application documentation and client follow up in order to ensure applications are complete for submission to IRC headquarters.
HR Admin Support Volunteer
The Human Resources Department serves the staff who serve our clients. The HR Admin Support Volunteer position does not interact directly with clients but supports the Administration Specialist. Together we make sure IRC Arizona has the staff needed to provide services to our clients, and to support staff’s HR needs.
Volunteer Medical or Psychological Evaluator
Join Arizona's Asylum Network! Volunteer evaluators are independently licensed medical or mental healthcare providers who conduct medical or psychological evaluations for survivors of persecution and trauma who are seeking humanitarian immigration relief (i.e. asylum) in the United States and who do not have the resources to obtain a standard (paid) evaluation.
Housing Support Volunteer
The Housing Support Volunteer will assist the Housing and Logistics Coordinator and Casework team to build resources for housing options for refugees along with assisting in setting up and moving refugees and asylees into their new homes. The volunteer will work with the Housing and Logistics Coordinator to identify safe, clean, and affordable homes and apartments for newly arrived refugees and asylees along with assisting in setting up and moving clients as needed and delivering food preparation for newly arriving refugees. Furthermore, the housing and support volunteer will also assist in identifying affordable housing resources for longer term refugee and asylees clients.