Amica Center for Immigrant Rights - Service Learning

At the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, we confront the impact that the unjust immigration system has on our clients
and communities through direct legal representation, impact litigation, education, and client-centered advocacy. Below are multiple ways students can get involved in our work. Please note that if you click on the below links to register for an opportunity, you'll first be prompted to join Amica Center's group at https://amicacenter.givepulse.com/.

Detention Hotline
Amica Center’s detention hotline enables immigrant individuals who are detained by ICE to call Amica Center staff for free, Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers help individuals access legal services by connecting callers with our staff, delivering follow-up messages relating to individuals’ cases, and providing information about Amica Center’s upcoming jail visits. Volunteers staff our hotline in 2-hour shifts, but may sign up for multiple shifts in a row. Volunteers can cover the Detention Hotline remotely, or they have the option to come into the DC office on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please note that detention hotline volunteers must have minimum working proficiency in Spanish. Get started by signing up for a mandatory hour-long virtual Detention Hotline training.  


Document Translation
Our most frequent opportunities for document translation are for Spanish to English and English to Spanish documents. However, since we work with people from a variety of countries requiring a variety of languages, we occasionally have translation opportunities in other languages, most commonly Pashto, Dari, Haitian Creole, French, Arabic, and Portuguese. Document translation opportunities include translation of court documents such as birth certificates, declarations, letters of support, and news articles. No certification is required to be a volunteer translator, though strong proficiency in the language is required. Get started by joining the Document Translator volunteer group that corresponds to the language(s) you speak:  

• Spanish translation – sign up here 

• French translation – sign up here 

• Translation for all other languages – sign up here 

Interpreting  
Our most frequent opportunities for live interpreting are for Spanish<>English. However, since we work with people from a variety of countries requiring a variety of languages, we occasionally have interpreting opportunities in other languages, most commonly French, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese. Volunteer interpreters interpret a variety of call types between Amica Center attorneys and clients, family members, and witnesses: introductory calls, info gathering calls, declaration readbacks, and hearing prep calls. Volunteer interpreters can also interpret mental health evaluators between a psychological evaluator and client. To interpret mental health evaluations, volunteers must have at least 6 months of interpreting experience or have prior experience with medical interpreting. Otherwise, no certification is required to be a volunteer interpreter, although strong fluency is required. Get started by joining the Interpreter volunteer group that corresponds to the language(s) you speak:  

• Spanish interpreting – sign up here 

• Interpreting for all other languages – sign up here 

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Amica Center. Please reach out to Adina Rombro at volunteer@amicacenter.org with any questions or to get started as a volunteer.