Design your own Immigrants’ Rights Fellowship & Get Paid! (Apply by 2/1)
About the Fellowship Program
The Michael Maggio Immigrants’ Rights Summer Fellowship was established jointly in 2009 by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CHRCL), and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIP/NLG), to commemorate the life and legal contributions of Michael Maggio.
Michael Maggio was an extraordinary immigration attorney and individual who was a life-long advocate for justice, equality, and peace. Throughout his career, Michael received countless professional awards and was honored for his extraordinary legal representation, astute strategizing, unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards, and his deep passion for justice and upholding the rule of law. He was an active member of AILA, the National Lawyers Guild, and served on the Board of Directors of the National Immigration Project. He was also an active supporter of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Michael died in February 2008 after a courageous battle with cancer.
The Maggio Immigrants’ Right Fellowship program selected its first recipient in 2009, for summer 2010. One summer fellowship will be awarded to a law student each year.
The primary mission of the fellowship program is to strengthen law students’ long-term commitment to promote justice and equality for vulnerable immigrant groups. Fellows will be chosen by the three sponsoring organizations, and will be selected based on the strength of their proposed host site and project.
Fellowship Description
The Fellowship will be awarded to one law student each summer to work on a student-initiated project. Applications for the 2020 Fellowship must be received by February 1, 2020 (see application form for details). Students must submit a project proposal with an organization willing to host the student for 10 weeks and provide a $1,500 stipend. The $1,500 amount may be paid by the host organization or may be provided by the law student through other means, e.g., law school public interest funding, independent fundraising, etc. The Maggio Immigrants’ Rights Fellowship will provide an additional $2,500 stipend for a total award of $4,000.
Responsibilities of Host Organization
The host organization must be willing to host the student for 10 weeks and provide a $1,500 stipend. The $1,500 amount may be paid from the host organization’s funds or may be provided by the law student through other means, e.g., law school public interest funding, independent fundraising, etc. The host organization must commit to supervise and provide all logistical needs of the Fellow including office space and supplies.
Stipend and Other Benefits
The total stipend payment for the ten-week summer Fellowship is $4,000.
For the 2020 Fellowship, fiscal sponsor, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, will pay $2,500 and the host organization will pay $1,500. The Fellow will also receive the following benefits:
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a complimentary registration for the 2020 AILA Annual Conference in San Diego;
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a complimentary registration to the 2020 NLG Annual Convention;
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a $500 travel stipend to attend the 2020 National Lawyers Guild Annual Convention;
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a complimentary registration to the National Immigration Project’s Immigration Skills seminar, if any, at the 2020 NLG Convention.
Host Sites
Fellowship host sites must be recognized non-profit organizations. These include:
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Nonprofit organizations serving low-income and underserved immigrant communities.
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Legal services organizations that serve immigrants.
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Civil rights organizations that advocate on behalf of immigrants.
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Community-based organizations that engage in pro-immigrant advocacy.
The host organization must be willing to host the student for 10 weeks and provide a $1,500 stipend. The $1,500 amount may be paid from the host organization’s funds or may be provided by the law student through other means, e.g., law school public interest funding, independent fundraising, etc. The host organization must commit to supervise and provide all logistical needs of the Fellow including office space and supplies.
Fellowship Projects
Selection criteria include:
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Projects which provide direct legal services to low-income and underserved individuals, including intake, client and witness interviews, courtroom advocacy and legal research and writing.
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Projects which provide community education and outreach.
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Projects which advocate for more just and humane immigration laws and policies.
Fellows
Fellowship recipients must meet the following criteria:
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Law students enrolled in law school program.
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Demonstrated commitment to social justice and/or immigrants’ rights issues.
Application Requirements
A complete application will include the following items:
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cover letter;
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completed application form (parts I & II);
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letter of support from the host organization, including information about the organization, the work the Fellow will be doing and the name of the person responsible for supervising the Fellow); and
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applicant’s resume.
THE 2020 APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW OPEN: DEADLINE FEBRUARY 1, 2020
How To Submit Your Application
(1) To apply electronically (preferred method):
Please send your application via email to Erin Lynum at elynum@aila.org with the following information in the subject line “[your name] – Maggio Fellowship 2020” and attach both the completed application form (see below) and the essays.
Part I and Part II constitute the entire application and should be submitted as an attachment to your email. (PDF preferred) Please also submit a cover letter and a resume.Michael Maggio Immigrants’ Rights Fellowship Application Form (found at link below)
DEADLINE TO APPLY FEBRUARY 1, 2020
To apply via mail:
Mail the complete application to the following address:
Erin Lynum AILA 1331 G Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20005
Brochure and APPLICATION FORM is at the link below:
