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2021 Honors Program for College and Graduate Students

December 27, 2020

 2021 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SUMMER HONORS COLLEGE AND GRADUATE SCHOOL INTERNSHIP – 

The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (“DHS/ICE”) is currently seeking unpaid College/ Graduate Student interns for the 2021 Summer Honors Internship Program. Students must be currently enrolled in an accredited school on a part-time or full-time basis. The summer internship runs for a period of ten weeks. Students must commit to a weekly minimum of 40 hours for the Summer Internship. This internship can be completed for credit if your undergraduate or graduate institution allows. Some of our former interns have been able to secure funding from their respective schools for this summer position. To be eligible for this position, you must be enrolled as a matriculated non-graduated student as no student can be accepted for this summer position if they have graduated from their respective institution.

The positions are within the Litigation Unit of ICE, which is located, either in Newark, NJ or Elizabeth, NJ. The duties include researching various issues raised by respondents in removal and deportation proceedings such as the filing of asylum applications, cancellation of removal and other relief applications. Students will research a myriad of issues, e.g. issues pertaining to foreign countries’ political systems, human rights condition, religious freedom, status of women, educational conditions, health care options, etc. In addition, legal interns may be required to assist attorneys in preparing cases for court hearings by contacting local, state, and federal agencies to obtain criminal records; by preparing evidentiary materials for filing with the court; and, on occasion, route telephone calls and walk-in inquiries. 

Interns will be given extensive training on immigration and criminal law. Students will be taught how to conduct direct and cross examination. In addition, students will be asked to help research human rights cases, national security cases, marriage fraud, and other types of adjustment cases. Interns will be trained to review the “Notice to Appear”, our charging document for legal sufficiency. 

There will be weekly brown bag lunches where we invite speakers from other DHS/ICE components such as deport officers from Enforcement Removal Operations (“ERO”), Homeland Security Investigations Agents (“HSI”), Federal Protective Services (“FPS”), and outside speakers from private law firms and various district attorney’s office to come and speak to our interns. 

We encourage students, who are interested in developing their litigation skills or interested in applying for law school, or working for the government to apply. All interns will have the opportunity to shadow the trial attorneys and to actively observe merits and master calendar hearings.

Candidates must meet the following criteria:
  1. You must be a United States Citizen
  2. Dedicate a minimum of 40 hours per week.
  3. Be familiar with internet research, Microsoft word, and Microsoft Excel.
  4. Have a GPA no lower than 3.5
  5. Strong writing skills

Interested applications must submit the following items for consideration:
  1. Resume.
  2. Latest transcript.
  3. A writing sample of 5-10 pages
  4. Applicants will need to complete a full background check, which may include a drug screen and a credit check, prior to commencing an internship with DHS/ICE. Background checks can take up to three months before an applicant is cleared. 

Please send all above-requested application items to either Handshake or you can send application materials directly to Linda Chan, (Assistant Chief Counsel/ Internship Coordinator) at the below-listed email address. 

Linda.Chan@dhs.gov

If selected, you will get an e-mail or phone call to come into our offices for an interview. DHS is accepting applications until February 20, 2021, but interviews are conducted on a rolling basis, so it is better to submit your application materials as soon as possible. In person interviews will be conducted in late December 2020 to early February 2021 (during Winter Break) to accommodate students, who may attend schools around the country. If selected for this position, please note background checks can take up to three months.

Please keep in mind that this is an unpaid internship and there is no expectation of compensation. This DHS internship provides training that would be similar to that which would be given in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by educational institutions. If applicable, the intern can seek to obtain academic credit if allowed by the sponsoring educational institution. In addition, the work responsibilities of each intern is to to provide significant educational benefits to the intern, rather than to displace the work of a paid employee.