Refugee and Migrant Rights Fellow (18-Month Fixed Term)

Job Summary

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is the global organization’s presence in the United States. We engage people in the U.S. to fight injustice all around the world, while we also work to protect people’s human rights here in the U.S. Amnesty International USA has more than one million members and activists in all 50 states, who are part of a larger global movement of 10 million people in 150 countries. We are a democratically governed, grassroots membership organization, which means that our members vote on key policy issues and elect our Board of Directors. Some of our members are experts on specific human rights issues, parts of the world, or advocacy areas, and they serve as volunteer leaders. Others are volunteer leaders of local or student groups in towns, universities, states, or regions of the country. Amnesty International USA’s elected Board members, staff, and members work together to lead the organization. 

The Refugee and Migrant Rights (RMR) Fellow will be housed in AIUSA’s Programs Unit, reporting to the Director of the Refugee and Migrant Rights Program. The Fellowship is full-time and requires an 18-month commitment. 

Programs are ongoing bodies of work on human rights issues staffed by experts who create and implement strategies to win human rights victories and make long-term human rights impact. Programs help build the foundation for successful campaigns, which are shorter-term, highly focused, time-bound, and winnable projects that advance long-term programmatic work.  

The RMR Fellow will have the opportunity to work on federal advocacy on human rights issues in the Washington, D.C. office (hybrid) of AIUSA.  The Fellow will also have one long-term project completed over the fellowship. Focus issues for the Refugee and Migrant Rights program currently include protecting the right to asylum at the border, advocating for protections for immigrants at risk, building support for a robust system of welcome, fighting against mass deportations, and ending the immigration detention system as we know it.  

The Fellow will gain and strengthen their expertise in human rights research and advocacy including, but not limited to, developing and implementing advocacy strategies and materials, contact with governmental bodies and officials, conducting legislative research, drafting memoranda and blogs, managing databases, analyzing emerging areas of relevant law and government policy, tracking the progress of legislation in the United States Congress, and learning about the international human rights framework.  

The ideal candidate will have: 

• Strong written and analytical skills, knowledge of federal immigration law, understands the Washington policy environment refugee and migrant rights, and can work to advance a human rights-first approach to United States government policy. 

Essential Responsibilities 

• Collaborate closely with the Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights and other Amnesty International staff and teams 
• Develop materials to be used in campaigning activities, advocacy discussions and public education on the issue, including in AI publications and on the webpage 
• Analyze new administrative policies and practices, including monitoring for new federal regulations and notifications 
• Track the progress of legislation in the United States Congress and identifying key legislative opportunities  
• Build and maintain close relationships with policymakers in Congress and across the federal government 
• Identify influential stakeholders in the United States government, including potential supporters and opponents, and takes advantage of political opportunities to push forward human rights goals  
• Provide administrative support for ongoing advocacy work including by preparing briefing materials, drafting backgrounders, and taking meeting minutes, thereby ensuring internal and external stakeholders and partners remain on deadline and on task 
• Build and sustain key partner contacts and build and sustain coalition to move forward shared human rights priorities 
• Engage with Members of Congress and administrative agencies as needed and appropriate 
• Works with relevant staff, AIUSA members and volunteer leaders on campaigns, policies, and other assigned tasks 
• Experience collaborating across the immigrant and refugee rights movement by engaging in coalition spaces and working with allies 
• Other duties as assigned 

Qualifications and Experience

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities 

• Demonstrated experience working on US asylum, immigration, and refugee issues and ability to pivot in the changing landscape of immigration rights 

• Thorough knowledge of international human rights standards related to asylum, immigration, and refugees  

• Experience as a successful advocate able to influence government officials preferred 

• Strong relationships within the human rights, asylum, immigration, refugee, and social justice advocacy communities  

• Experience working in a grassroots organization with member activists and growing an engaged and effective membership activist base preferred 

• Experience in presenting human rights or related topics and analyses to diverse audiences 

• Demonstrable ability to initiate, develop and sustain positive working relationships over long periods of time with a wide range of individuals and groups, including those from different cultural backgrounds  

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to inspire and motivate officials/their staff and partners 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to inspire and motivate staff and partners 

• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple and detailed tasks and produce high-quality work under short and fixed deadlines 

• Experience working on issues related to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) 

• Ability to objectively assess situations to determine action-oriented solutions 

• Must live near, and be able to attend meetings in Washington D.C.  

• Some weeknight and weekend work may be required 

Education and Experience 

• B.A./ B.S. and/or 3-5 years of relevant experience 

• Experience working in hybrid/remote organization preferred 

• Experience working in a collaborative environment and with a team desired 

• Bilingual English/Spanish or other language skills are a plus 

• People from border communities and/or people with experience with the broken immigration system are encouraged to apply 

• Candidates based in Washington, DC are preferred but exceptions may be made for applicants based in New York City, Chicago or living in border cities with proximity to Mexico 

Physical Requirements 

• Prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing at a desk and working on a computer 

Travel Requirements, Weeknight or Weekend Work 

• Some travel as needed  

• Some weeknight and weekend work may be required 

We recognize the valuable skills that can be gained through internships, fellowships, volunteer work, and non-traditional work experience. This experience helps build competencies and knowledge that may translate to our job openings. We seek a diversity of experience and skills for our workplace and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our openings. 

HOW TO APPLY AND OUR EEO STATEMENT 

DEADLINE TO APPLY: All materials due by the posted deadline. We will not accept submissions after this time which are not “complete.” 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Please submit the statement of interest as a single PDF under the cover letter upload section. Please submit the resume and writing sample as a single combined PDF under the resume section. 

1. A statement of interest indicating your interest in this Fellowship listing relevant qualifications and experience  

2. Resume 

3. A writing sample, no longer than 5 pages, related to the subject matter of this fellowship 

All applications must be completed online, and we do not accept paper submissions. Please visit the AIUSA Careers Page to review all current job postings. You must complete the entire online application, and electronically sign, for an application to be considered “complete.” We send emails via Paycom so please check your spam folders for any updates. Please email talentacquisition@aiusa.org for technical difficulties ONLY.  

AIUSA does not assist employees or applicants for employment with obtaining or maintaining employment authorization or employment-based nonimmigrant status. This includes, but is not limited to, sponsorship, financial assistance, preparation of documentation for an application for a visa or nonimmigrant status, preparation of training plans, or any other form of support required to obtain work authorization. Candidates must already have authorization to work in the United States that does not currently or in the future require AIUSA’s intervention. 

Amnesty International USA is an equal opportunity employer. AIUSA encourages 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. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply. 

OUR COMMITMENT AS AN ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION AND TO INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY (IDEA) 

Dismantling white supremacy is central to the fight for human rights in the United States and around the world. As we mobilize staff and activists and work with partners to help transform the multiple systems where oppression operates in the world around us as part of our human rights mandate, anti-racism must be integral to our work. What does that mean for Amnesty International in the United States? It means using our people power to fight injustice and centering the voices and experiences of those most impacted by racist structures, beliefs, and laws. Fundamentally, it means doing our human rights work differently than it has been done before, because we know that who we work with, how we work, the work we do, and ultimately who we are, are all interconnected. 

As an international, intercultural, intergenerational, and intersectional movement of activists committed to protecting and advancing human rights for all, Amnesty is deeply committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA). To learn more about how we integrate IDEA into our programs and workplace, visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/idea/ 

REMOTE AND HYBRID WORKPLACE POLICY 

Because the health and safety of our employees and candidates are a top priority, we are currently conducting our hiring process virtually. Please review the job description, which will state whether a role is hybrid and remote. Some roles may require travel domestically and/or internationally. 

Salary : $75,000