Call for Applications: 2 Internship Opportunities in Migration Justice at The Ark at CBST

The Fordham Initiative on Migrants, Migration, and Human Dignity, with generous funding from the Cummings Foundation, seeks applications from Fordham undergraduate and graduate students for two year-long paid internships at The Ark at CBST. Founded in 1973, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah is the largest LGBTQ+ synagogue in the world. The Ark at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) provides pro se legal assistance to asylum seekers in NYC, many of whom are LGBTQ and/or HIV+.

Compensation:
$4500, plus $250 transportation stipend

Time Commitment:
September 2025-May 2026.
Students will work 270 hours over two semesters (approximately 10 hours/week).

Students must attend 3 Fordham Reflection and Formation sessions with other Interns each semester, through the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity. Session dates for the fall 2025 semester are tentatively scheduled for the following times:

• Sept 25th 1-2pm – Orientation (Required)
• Oct 8th 2:30-3:30pm
• Oct 23rd 1-2pm
• Nov 5th 2:30-3:30pm
• Nov 11th 1-2pm

To apply, please complete this form by September 5th, 2025. First-roundcandidates will be screened by a panel of Fordham faculty/staff. Finalists will be interviewed directly by staff at The Ark by CBST.

Any questions, please contact The Fordham Initiative on Migrants, Migration, and Human Dignity at migrationjustice@fordham.edu.

The Ark at CBST

Asylum Seeker Accompaniment Intern

Position Description
This is a temporary internship. Asylum seekers in immigration court removal proceedings only have a right to counsel at no cost to the government. Many asylum seekers are forced to defend themselves pro se – by themselves – in complicated legal proceedings. The Asylum Seeker Accompaniment Intern will learn to accompany asylum seekers through this process by attending immigration court hearings and assisting in the preparation of applications for relief. The intern will report to Noah Habeeb, Immigration Clinic Director, and will work with agency staff to engage with and learn about the community and the social inequities affecting their accessibility to physical, mental, and emotional health. The schedule will include Wednesday evening remote legal clinics via Zoom (6:00-8:00PM); Friday in-person Employment Authorization legal clinics (10:00AM-2:00PM), and weekly court accompaniments (flexible).

Job Responsibilities

• Complete immigration court accompaniment and legal clinic trainings
• Attend immigration court hearings with asylum seekers and accompaniment leader
• Participate in weekly remote asylum legal clinics via Zoom on Wednesdays from 6:00-8:00PM
• Participate in monthly in-person Employment Authorization Document (EAD) legal clinics on Fridays from 10:00AM-2:00PM
• Complete screening phone calls in English and Spanish to recently arrived asylum seekers
• Assist legal clinic staff in completing administrative tasks including copying, scanning, printing, and data entry
• Deliver information using culturally appropriate terms and concepts, including LGBTQ cultural competency

Requirements and Qualifications

• Good communication and interpersonal skills: writing and speaking in English and Spanish is required
• Flexibility; ability to respect and adjust to different customs and cultures, as well as shifting priorities due to changes in protocol
• Willingness to learn and interact with immigrant communities
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, Airtable, and ability to learn our custom database software

Emotional Labor

• This is a direct service environment serving vulnerable people and as such staff and interns must manage and regulate their own emotional responses to prevent unnecessary negative impacts on those we serve
• We understand that this work can be emotionally challenging and exhausting, and hope to create a supportive and nurturing work environment