Denver Post: Colorado ICE raids could begin in Aurora this week, national report says

Whatever happens this week, the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, a nonprofit that serves immigrants, affirmed its commitment to offering legal support to “people caught in the cross hairs,” said director of advocacy and litigation Laura Lunn.

“Trump is directing resources to terrorize our community by promising to separate parents from their children and target people at home and at work,” Lunn said in an emailed statement.

But “the law matters,” she added. “Legal rights and due process matter.” Full article here.

9News: Nonprofit receives order from Trump administration to stop programs for immigrants

"It’s essentially creating a black hole for people who are going into these very complex and complicated legal proceedings where the consequences may be the most serious case in their lives, and they are now being stripped of information and due process," Executive Director Mekela Goehring said. Full story and video here.

Colorado Sun: Colorado nonprofit offering immigrant legal aid ordered to stop work by feds

“The U.S. Department of Justice issued a ‘stop work order’ to multiple immigrant advocacy organizations around the country, including the one that funds Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network. The Colorado nonprofit provides free attorney representation and other legal help to thousands of immigrants who are locked in the detention center in Aurora or fighting deportation at the Denver immigration court.” More here.

Stop Work Order Ends Access to Critical Legal Access Programs

For Immediate Release

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Contacts:
Mekela Goehring, mgoehring@rmian.org, RMIAN Executive Director
Laura Lunn, llunn@rmian.org, RMIAN Director of Advocacy & Litigation

Westminster, Colorado, January 27, 2025--On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, RMIAN received a stop work order for its work under the Legal Orientation Program, Family Group Legal Orientation Program, and Immigration Court Help Desk Program. Collectively, these programs provide critical legal services to thousands of immigrants in Colorado (and throughout the US) every year. This stop work order stems from the harmful “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” Executive Order.

“Taking away access to these essential and life-saving immigration legal service programs while simultaneously ordering increases in immigration enforcement and detention that will trample community members’ rights is a shocking and gross violation of the fundamental principles of due process, equal access to justice, and to our values for caring for our community members and loved ones,” says Mekela Goehring, Executive Director, RMIAN.

RMIAN was one of the very first nonprofit providers in the country providing services under the Legal Orientation Program, beginning in 2003. Throughout the program’s history, it has received bipartisan support for its work in both increasing access to justice and for helping with immigration courts’ efficiency. Similarly, RMIAN’s work under the FGLOP and ICH programs has provided critical support to individuals before the Denver Immigration Court.

We share the following stories of community members who have been helped through these programs over the years:

• After attending a RMIAN information session at the Denver Immigration Court, a participant disclosed that she was in an active human trafficking situation and that her trafficker was in the court waiting for her hearing to be over. RMIAN staff acted quickly to secure a safe place for her to stay overnight, and worked with her to ensure that she understood her options. RMIAN then assisted her in requesting voluntary departure through friend of the court services so that she could be reunited with her husband and children in her home country.

• Jose (not his real name) has lived in the US with his family since he was 10 years old. His parents, wife and two children are all US citizens. After being arrested by immigration authorities and taken into detention, he attended RMIAN’s legal orientation presentation at the Aurora immigration detention facility. After hearing the attorney describe the ways to become a US citizen, José opted to complete an individual intake with a RMIAN attorney. Through the general LOP and the individual intake, José learned he already was a US citizen because he automatically derived citizenship when his mother naturalized. The next day, José attended his first immigration hearing and told the immigration judge that he believed he was a citizen. He and his mother presented proof of his claim and the immigration judge terminated the removal proceedings. José was released from detention and reunited with his family. Without the LOP and RMIAN’s legal assistance, José would not have known his legal options and may have accepted deportation from the United States and been separated from his entire family forever.

• During an individual information session at the Denver Immigration Court provided by RMIAN, a mother requested assistance in understanding the status of her case because English was not her best language. In reviewing her documents with her, RMIAN was able to explain to her that her Temporary Protected Status (TPS) application, as well as those of her children, was approved. RMIAN then helped the participant show the approval notices to the immigration judge and request dismissal of their removal proceedings.

• Eva (not her real name) was not born in the United States and married a very abusive man who was a US citizen. When she threatened to divorce him, he called the police and reported that she was trespassing on his property. Eva was arrested and brought to the Aurora immigration detention center. After hearing RMIAN’s presentation, Eva stayed to talk with a RMIAN attorney. Upon hearing of the marriage and abuse, RMIAN referred Eva’s case to a pro bono attorney. The attorney represented Eva at a bond hearing and she was released, allowing her to seek protection under the Violence Against Women Act.  

By ordering an immediate pause of these critical legal services, the administration is effectively silencing immigrants’ ability to defend their rights while subjecting them to intensified enforcement and detention measures. This executive action, paired with the stop-work orders, not only undermines the cornerstone of our democracy, the principle of equal justice for all, but also sets a dangerous precedent that threatens constitutional guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law.

Without access to legal representation, countless people are left to navigate life-altering immigration proceedings alone, facing immense challenges without guidance or defense. This is a serious threat to our communities, as it fosters fear, destabilizes families, and strips individuals of the ability to advocate for themselves within the legal system.

Dr. Janet Lopez, RMIAN Board Member and Senior Director of Policy, Partnerships & Learning at The Denver Foundation says “Providing representation to immigrants in removal proceedings is about bringing fairness to complex proceedings and upholding our Constitution. At The Denver Foundation, we support organizations like RMIAN because we believe in their work to protect the rights and dignity of immigrants who are integral to our communities.”

"It's important to see this threat to due process and equal justice for what it is, not just a threat to bedrock constitutional values, but also part of a broad attempt by the administration to reshape and refine America by means of multiple dictates from the White House. They include attacks on birthright citizenship, mobilization of the military, mass deportations, and most fundamentally the message that many Americans don't belong here anymore." Hiroshi Motomura, RMIAN Co-Founder and Board Member, and Susan Westerberg Distinguished Professor of Law and Faculty Co-Director, Center for Immigration Law and Policy, UCLA School of Law

Jorgee Lowree, RMIAN Board Member and Managing Director of Programs and Strategy, American Immigration Council says “It’s no secret that many aspects of our immigration system need to be reformed. But the Trump administration’s war on immigrants is solely focused on dismantling the system and deporting as many people as possible over the next four years, including by making it far more difficult for people to understand the process and defend themselves in court. Immigrants detained in Colorado have for many years been able to depend on the support of legal service providers and volunteer attorneys, but Trump is working to eliminate that support system to achieve his mass deportation agenda. Making it more difficult for people to have a fair day in court will do nothing to fix the current system while wreaking havoc on the lives of immigrants, their families, and our communities and economy.”

Please reach out to your elected representatives and demand the restart of these critical legal access programs that provide essential and life-changing legal support to thousands of community members every year. For more information or to support RMIAN’s work to ensure due process and equal justice, please visit www.rmian.org. 

Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Colorado, that works to ensure justice for adults and children in immigration proceedings. RMIAN empowers people through education of legal rights; provides zealous no-cost immigration legal representation to uphold fundamental fairness and due process; promotes the importance of universal representation where anyone in immigration proceedings has access to counsel despite financial barriers; and advocates for a more efficient, functional, and humane immigration system, including an end to immigration detention. Learn more about RMIAN’s work at rmian.org, Facebook, and Instagram at @rmian_org.

Denver7: Colorado attorneys train to represent immigrants at Aurora ICE detention facility pro bono

By: Claire Lavezzorio

AURORA, Colo. — Colorado attorneys specializing in everything from criminal to corporate law are stepping up to support the immigrant community pro bono.

With cities bracing for the possibility of mass deportations under the Trump administration, nearly 100 lawyers took a training course in immigration law to represent those in custody at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora, one of the largest in the country.

Violeta Chapin, associate dean at the University of Colorado Law School and a participant in the training program, highlighted a significant gap in legal support for immigrants during an interview with Denver7 Tuesday.

"We do not have a public defender for immigrants. So, the lack of consistent representation for immigrants leads to a lot of delays," said Chapin.

'Know Your Rights' trainings help immigrants prepare for deportation threats

The training was put on by Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), which said Colorado already has the lowest rate of representation in the country for people who are facing deportation.

Mekela Goehring, executive director of RMIAN, said the training focused on how to argue for bond for detainees.

"What we know is that if people have representation, they're 10 times more likely to win their cases," said Goehring. "If they can get a bond and get out of immigration detention while they're fighting their cases, then they have access to information, to the resources."

With nearly 100 lawyers ready to represent immigrants when needed, these advocates are realistic about their expectations but hopeful to make any kind of difference.

"I think any additional representation in immigration court is beneficial to the immigrants and to the process itself," said Chapin.

Colorado Sun: Colorado lawyers line up to fight Trump’s deportation plans

About 100 lawyers just took a crash course in persuading immigration judges to grant bond and release people who are locked up at the ICE detention center in Aurora. The training put on by Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network took place Friday, three days before President Donald Trump returned to office on promises to deport tens of thousands of immigrants in what he has called “Operation Aurora.” More here.

Over 100 Attorneys Attend Legal Training

Today RMIAN, CBA-CLE, Colorado Lawyers Committee, and the Boulder County Bar Association are partnering to train volunteer attorneys to represent clients in the release from immigration detention bond and parole. We are grateful to the over 100 attorneys in Colorado who registered for this training and who are committed to protecting due process, the rule of law, and equal access to justice.

We’re Hiring: Detention Program Staff Attorney

RMIAN has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney to represent noncitizens who are detained by ICE at the Denver Contract Immigration Detention Facility in Aurora. The successful candidate is a seasoned attorney able to manage a robust caseload independently and demonstrates a keen understanding of immigration law and legal strategy.  The Staff Attorney will primarily provide direct representation and supervise others providing direct representation to noncitizens detained at the Aurora facility who are selected without regard to the merits of their cases under RMIAN’s universal representation model and who are appointed counsel through the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP). 

The ideal candidate:

• Has a minimum of two years of experience as an immigration attorney with significant experience representing detained noncitizens.

• Is committed to the idea that all those in removal proceedings deserve to have an attorney by their side.

• Has experience representing detained noncitizens with cases complicated by criminal legal contacts.

• Has experience working collaboratively and in coalition with other community organizations and stakeholders to advocate for systems change.

• Has a demonstrated commitment to antiracism, and promotes diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion at the organization both internally and externally.

• Is skilled at explaining complex legal issues in an accessible manner to recently arrived noncitizens and individuals unfamiliar with the complexities of immigration laws, processes, and procedures.

• Demonstrates empathy, is an active listener, exhibits excellent problem-solving abilities, understands the importance of constructive feedback, and easily builds trust with colleagues.

• Is dedicated to client-centered legal representation.

• Understands how to prioritize. The ideal candidate is organized, efficient, and has a keen eye for detail while keeping an eye on the big picture. This person enjoys handling multiple tasks running in parallel and can triage to meet time-sensitive deadlines while working toward larger goals.

• Is team-oriented and works in collaboration with RMIAN staff members, clients, and community partners while also being able to manage casework and deadlines independently.

• Has a strong commitment to serving low-income and underserved communities, with an ability to relate to and communicate with a broad range of clients and colleagues.

• Is skilled at building rapport with clients and at building relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders (including governmental agencies, nonprofit providers, and community partners). Acts with courtesy, patience, and poise, and is excited to share RMIAN’s work with others.

• Effectively balances the interests of clients, colleagues, programs, and the organization.

• Models effective approaches and raises issues along with potential solutions.

• Is able to work autonomously and independently – this person doesn’t require micromanaging and can be trusted to manage and meet deadlines and complete tasks in a timely manner without the need for extensive oversight.

Responsibilities:

Direct Representation

• Provide high-quality legal representation detained noncitizens in their immigration legal matters.

• Manage a complex caseload independently with minimal need for supervision or guidance on legal work or strategy. Track and meet all case deadlines. Demonstrate superior legal skills and analysis and high-quality written work that requires minimal review or editing.

Outreach, Community Education, Development, and Organizational Efforts

• Participate in RMIAN’s outreach, community education, and development efforts.

• Foster relationships with clients willing to engage in campaigns to promote public awareness of RMIAN’s work and its impact on people who seek lasting protection from deportation in the United States.

• Participate in community building, committee work and other activities within RMIAN.

• Promote RMIAN’s mission, values and organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Required skills and experience:

• Minimum of five years’ experience as a practicing immigration attorney.

• Experience representing detained noncitizens in removal proceedings.

• Admission to any state bar.

• Professional proficiency in English and Spanish sufficient to represent clients without an interpreter (will be tested during interviews)

• Deep dedication to immigration legal services, working with individuals in detention, commitment to working with members of marginalized groups, and people with prior history of involvement in the criminal and immigration legal systems.

• Demonstrated cultural competency.

Location:

This position is based out of RMIAN’s office located in Westminster, Colorado but requires frequent travel to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. Currently, remote work is possible when office presence is not required for business operations.

Compensation:

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. Salary is commensurate with experience; the range is between $64,000 to $80,000. Salary includes a generous benefits package which includes:

• Generous paid time off with 15 days of vacation in the first year of employment and an additional 2 days for each additional year of employment, 10 sick days, 11 Federal holidays, plus, an annual week-long holiday office closure;

• Excellent health insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);

• Dental & vision insurance (90% covered by RMIAN);

• Life insurance & professional liability insurance (100% covered);

• Professional development funds and opportunities;

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s Simple IRA retirement plan (RMIAN matches 4%);

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s flexible spending plan; and

• Eight-week sabbatical after five years of employment.

If this profile calls to you, please send your resume, a short cover letter that explains why this role is a great fit for you, a writing sample, and references to hr@rmian.org.

RMIAN is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.

RMIAN Founding Board Member, Hiroshi Motomura, Publishes New Book: Borders and Belonging

Read the Introduction of RMIAN Founding Board Member and UCLA Law Professor Hiroshi Motomura’s new book, Borders and Belonging, here.

“Borders and Belonging starts with an inquiry into why citizenship and immigration restrictions might be justified or troubling. The book next suggests ways to think about objections to national borders as they exist today. People sometimes make claims based on their humanity; in other words, they object to national borders that inflict harm that no human being should have to endure. At other times, people make claims of a different sort -- based on belonging, that is, that they are part of communities in a given country and that national borders erase or disregard that belonging.”

Hiroshi meeting with RMIAN staff on 1/16/25 to discuss his new book, Borders and Belonging.

Colorado Sun: Immigration attorneys in Colorado are overwhelmed trying to support terrified immigrants, and we need help

We’re Hiring: Director of Development & Communications

Position Description

The Director of Development & Communications is responsible for the strategic planning, execution, management, and evaluation of fundraising efforts at RMIAN. Responsibilities include annual giving, major gifts, development and stewardship of donors, fundraising events, and external communication. Additionally, the Director of Development & Communications will oversee RMIAN’s substantial grant and contract portfolio, including proposal writing and reporting. Ultimately, this person is instrumental in shaping and executing the long-range fundraising plan for the organization. This position works closely with the Executive Director, Vice President of Finance, and the Board of Directors. The Director of Development & Communications is a member of the RMIAN leadership team. This position will supervise the Development and Communications Coordinator.

Traits of an Ideal Candidate

• Engaging and dynamic individual with a strong commitment to immigrant justice.

• Adaptive leader able to integrate new information and balance multiple priorities.

• Entrepreneurial, results-driven approach with the ability to identify and implement creative approaches to development.

• Ability to authentically connect and communicate with people across identities and experiences.

• Excellent written and oral communicator skilled in simply and compellingly translating complex concepts.

• Ability to collaborate with program staff, board members, clients, and volunteers.

• Experience elevating the sophistication and effectiveness of individual giving and major gift programs.

• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and timelines to meet financial goals.

• Deeply committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion; engaged participant in organizational learning and growth.

Responsibilities

 Grants and Annual Giving

• Drive and supervise all grant activity, including prospecting, research, writing, and reporting.

• Collaborate with RMIAN’s program staff to ensure accuracy in program descriptions, goals, and reporting.

• Oversee and coordinate grant calendar, timelines, and reporting.

• Set annual individual giving goals in partnership with the Executive Director and VP of Finance.

• Create an annual fundraising plan, timeline, and activities.

• Create direct mail appeals and manage distribution process.

• Oversee RMIAN’s donor database activities to ensure information accuracy, categorization strategy, and effective reporting.

Management

• Supervise Development and Communications Coordinator.

Communications and Community Relations

• Oversee communications strategy & integration with development strategy.

• Formalize brand strategy and standards management.

• Build external relationships with the organization's constituencies, including funders and media.

• Oversee external donor communications, including donor acknowledgement, newsletters, an annual report, and social media.

• Work with ED and Director of Advocacy and Litigation to advance RMIAN’s advocacy strategy via communications, including press releases, media pitches, and media response.

• Lead marketing efforts for RMIAN, including overseeing creation of print materials and digital media to tell RMIAN’s story.

• Make relevant connections with community groups and potential partners.

• Create new and meaningful ways to connect community with opportunities to give. Lead RMIAN’s annual fundraising event, the Immigrant Liberty Awards. 

• Along with ED and Board, plan the annual Liberty Circle and related events.

Required Skills and Experience

• Five years of experience leading a development program.

• Seven years of experience in fundraising activities.

• Proven record of success in grant support programs, annual giving, major gifts, and special events.

• Five years of experience managing donor information systems to achieve fundraising goals.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Five years of experience in grant writing and reporting.

• Three years of experience in government contract procurement.

• Three years of experience in major gifts, including making direct requests.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods working on a computer.

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.

• The ability to communicate accurate information and ideas, written and in conversation, so others will understand.

Work Environment

• This position is based out of RMIAN’s office in Westminster, Colorado.

• RMIAN provides a dedicated workstation, computer, and desk in an office setting.

• Currently, remote work is possible when office presence is not required for business operations. Current requirements for onsite presence will be shared during the recruitment process.

Total Compensation

RMIAN offers an exceptional total compensation package that includes paid time off, employer-paid health and supplemental insurances, and a percentage match of retirement plan contributions. A benefits summary will be included during the recruitment process.

RMIAN is an equal-opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.

Applications

 If this profile calls to you, please email an application packet to hr@rmian.org including a cover letter that explains your connection to RMIAN’s mission and fit for the position, along with your resume, and list of three references. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Please note that RMIAN must participate in the E-Verify system to comply with government contracts. Upon being offered a position, candidates will be asked to confirm employment eligibility.

Denver Gazette: Immigrant Advocates Prepare for Trump’s ‘Operation Aurora’

In The Denver Gazette, RMIAN’s Director of Advocacy and Litigation, Laura Lunn, speaks out about preparing for potential changes in immigration enforcement that could impact our neighbors, friends, and families. Lunn shares “More than anything, people are afraid, and (the Trump administration) has been really effective at making people fearful,” she said. “I can’t understate all of these terrible things that could happen, but the day-to-day existence of living with the type of fear people experience when they’re being threatened is really powerful.”

Colorado Schools Commit to Protecting Students Ahead of Potential Mass Deportation

In a recent Colorado Sun article, RMIAN’s Children’s Program Managing Attorney, Ashley Harrington, shares, “There is so much fear. So many children are calling us to say, ‘Am I going to get deported? Are my parents going to get deported? Can you please help us?’ There’s such widespread fear already even from the rhetoric, even though nothing has happened yet. It’s been really overwhelming to hear how terrified children are.” 

Denverite: How Immigrants and Their Advocates are Bracing for ‘Operation Aurora’

In response to revelations about "Operation Aurora," a plan under the Trump administration to deport thousands of immigrants from the Denver area, RMIAN joins other advocates in condemning this extreme, anti-immigrant tactic. The strategy, which sought to coordinate large-scale raids to apprehend and deport immigrants, has sparked widespread concern within Colorado’s immigrant advocacy community.

Denver Post: What Trump’s Second Term Means for Colorado Immigrants, Public Lands, Abortion Access, and Space Command

In a recent Denver Post article, RMIAN’s Executive Director, Mekela Goehring, shares, “Now, the most critical component is ensuring there are lawyers in the system so there is some accountability and a check of due process,” Goehring said. “Separating children from their parents (or) forcing people to be in a prison-like setting while navigating immigration proceedings is incredibly harmful to community members.” 

Free CLE: Representing Individuals in Bond and Release Requests from Immigration Detention

Save the Date! Jan 17th, 10:00am - 12:00pm. Free CLE training: Representing Individuals in Bond and Release Requests from Immigration Detention. Join RMIAN, CBA-CLE, and CLC to defend Colorado's community members and provide essential due process protections! Click HERE for more information. 

Free CIRC Webinar

Join RMIAN's partner, Colorado Immigrants Rights Coalition, for a free webinar on December 17, 2024 from 6pm - 7:30pm. Get information on how to protect yourself and your community from immigration enforcement.

We’re Hiring: Temporary Staff Attorney

RMIAN has an immediate opening for a Temporary Staff Attorney to represent noncitizens who are detained by ICE at the Denver Contract Immigration Detention Facility in Aurora, through the end of June 2025.  The successful candidate is a seasoned attorney able to manage a robust caseload independently and demonstrates a keen understanding of immigration law and legal strategy.  The Temporary Staff Attorney will primarily provide direct representation and supervise others providing direct representation to noncitizens detained at the Aurora facility who are selected without regard to the merits of their cases under RMIAN’s universal representation model. 

The ideal candidate:

• Has a minimum of two years of experience as an immigration attorney with significant experience representing detained noncitizens.

• Is committed to the idea that all those in removal proceedings deserve to have an attorney by their side.

• Has experience representing detained noncitizens with cases complicated by criminal legal contacts.

• Has experience working collaboratively and in coalition with other community organizations and stakeholders to advocate for systems change.

• Has a demonstrated commitment to antiracism, and promotes diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion at the organization both internally and externally.

• Is skilled at explaining complex legal issues in an accessible manner to recently arrived noncitizens and individuals unfamiliar with the complexities of immigration laws, processes, and procedures.

• Demonstrates empathy, is an active listener, exhibits excellent problem-solving abilities, understands the importance of constructive feedback, and easily builds trust with colleagues.

• Is dedicated to client-centered legal representation.

• Understands how to prioritize. The ideal candidate is organized, efficient, and has a keen eye for detail while keeping an eye on the big picture. This person enjoys handling multiple tasks running in parallel and can triage to meet time-sensitive deadlines while working toward larger goals.

• Is team-oriented and works in collaboration with RMIAN staff members, clients, and community partners while also being able to manage casework and deadlines independently.

• Has a strong commitment to serving low-income and underserved communities, with an ability to relate to and communicate with a broad range of clients and colleagues.

• Is skilled at building rapport with clients and at building relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders (including governmental agencies, nonprofit providers, and community partners). Acts with courtesy, patience, and poise, and is excited to share RMIAN’s work with others.

• Effectively balances the interests of clients, colleagues, programs, and the organization.

• Models effective approaches and raises issues along with potential solutions.

• Is able to work autonomously and independently – this person doesn’t require micromanaging and can be trusted to manage and meet deadlines and complete tasks in a timely manner without the need for extensive oversight.

Responsibilities:

Direct Representation

• Provide high-quality legal representation detained noncitizens in their immigration legal matters.

• Manage a complex caseload independently with minimal need for supervision or guidance on legal work or strategy. Track and meet all case deadlines. Demonstrate superior legal skills and analysis and high-quality written work that requires minimal review or editing.

Outreach, Community Education, Development, and Organizational Efforts

• Participate in RMIAN’s outreach, community education, and development efforts.

• Foster relationships with clients willing to engage in campaigns to promote public awareness of RMIAN’s work and its impact on people who seek lasting protection from deportation in the United States.

• Participate in community building, committee work and other activities within RMIAN.

• Promote RMIAN’s mission, values and organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Required skills and experience:

• Minimum of five years’ experience as a practicing immigration attorney.

• Experience representing detained noncitizens in removal proceedings.

• Admission to any state bar.

• Professional proficiency in English and Spanish sufficient to represent clients without an interpreter (will be tested during interviews)

• Deep dedication to immigration legal services, working with individuals in detention, commitment to working with members of marginalized groups, and people with prior history of involvement in the criminal and immigration legal systems.

• Demonstrated cultural competency.

Location:

This position is based out of RMIAN’s office located in Westminster, Colorado but requires frequent travel to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. Currently, remote work is possible when office presence is not required for business operations.

Compensation:

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. Salary is commensurate with experience; the range is between $64,000 to $80,000. Salary includes a generous benefits package which includes:

• Generous paid time off with 15 days of vacation in the first year of employment and an additional 2 days for each additional year of employment, 10 sick days, 11 Federal holidays, plus, an annual week-long holiday office closure;

• Excellent health insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);

• Dental & vision insurance (90% covered by RMIAN);

• Life insurance & professional liability insurance (100% covered);

• Professional development funds and opportunities;

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s Simple IRA retirement plan (RMIAN matches 4%);

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s flexible spending plan; and

• Eight-week sabbatical after five years of employment.

If this profile calls to you, please send your resume, a short cover letter that explains why this role is a great fit for you, a writing sample, and references to hr@rmian.org.

RMIAN is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.

We’re Hiring: Detention Program Supervising Attorney

RMIAN has an immediate opening for a full-time Supervising Attorney in the Detention Program.  The Supervising Attorney will manage a team of attorneys providing direct representation to individuals detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado, and will provide direct representation to noncitizens at the facility who are selected without regard to the merits of their cases under RMIAN’s universal representation model. 

This position is meant for a seasoned immigration attorney with experience managing others.  The Supervising Attorney’s time will be split between a robust caseload and supervision of other attorneys, so experience practicing removal defense immigration law, preferably in a detained setting, along with a strong desire and commitment to managing others, is vital.

The ideal candidate:

• Is an experienced attorney who has a background in immigration law and a strong commitment to immigrant justice. 

• Has a demonstrated commitment to antiracism, and promotes diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion at the organization both internally and externally.

• Is an individual with experience supervising other staff members who demonstrates strong leadership skills and skill at mentoring legal professionals.

• Enjoys creative lawyering and working in a collaborative setting but can work independently.

• Is committed to the idea that everyone in removal proceedings deserves to have an attorney.

• Has experience representing detained noncitizens in cases complicated by criminal legal contacts.

• Demonstrates empathy, is an active listener, exhibits excellent problem-solving abilities, understands the importance of constructive feedback, and easily builds trust with colleagues.

• Is dedicated to client-centered legal representation.

• Understands how to prioritize. The ideal candidate is organized, efficient, and has a keen eye for detail while keeping an eye on the big picture. This person enjoys handling multiple tasks running in parallel and can triage to meet time-sensitive deadlines while working toward larger goals.

• Is team-oriented and works in collaboration with RMIAN staff members, clients, and community partners while also being able to manage casework and deadlines independently.

• Has a strong commitment to serving low-income and underserved communities, with an ability to relate to and communicate with a broad range of clients and colleagues.

• Is skilled at building rapport with clients and at building relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders (including governmental agencies, nonprofit providers, and community partners). Acts with courtesy, patience, and poise, and is excited to share RMIAN’s work with others.

• Enjoys collaborating with others and understands how to keep people focused on the goal —this person thrives on working as a member of a team and has experience with project management and positively influencing people to get things done. In particular, this person excels at engaging and motivating colleagues at all levels to keep moving toward results.

• Appreciates the need to be responsive and act on time-sensitive inquiries – this person can respond to stakeholders quickly and is skilled at time management.

• Enjoys finding and creating efficiencies – this person naturally conceptualizes workflow through a systems approach, thrives on innovating to make tasks more streamlined, and works quickly and accurately.

• Is able to work autonomously and independently – this person doesn’t require micromanaging and can be trusted to manage and meet deadlines and complete tasks in a timely manner without the need for extensive oversight.

Responsibilities:

Attorney Supervision and Program Management

• Supervise up to 5 Staff Attorneys, ensuring they have the supervision, support, and structure needed to handle their caseloads, and to ensure that program goals are met

• Work with Detention Program Managing Attorney to ensure direct representation team has educational and other supports necessary to continue providing services in a changing and challenging legal environment.

• Work with Detention Program Managing Attorney to create experience-based, reasonable caseload expectations, and ensure the team is meeting those caseload goals.

• Work with the Detention Program Managing Attorney, LOP Supervising Attorney, and Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney to develop strategies for increasing representation based on detention population and RMIAN’s capacity for direct representation and pro bono referrals.

• Work with Detention Program Managing Attorney on reporting to funders as required.

• Coordinate with Detention Program Managing Attorney and RMIAN Social Service Program as needed to ensure RMIAN staff is providing trauma-informed services at all times.

• Provide mentorship and training to direct representation staff attorneys, including by reviewing written work, observing court hearings, and collective brainstorming on case development.

• Contribute to development of template and sample work product libraries.

• Create and implement systems to enhance efficiency of direct representation for detained individuals.

Direct Representation

• Provide high-quality legal representation detained noncitizens in their immigration legal matters.

• Manage a large, complex caseload independently with minimal need for supervision or guidance on legal work or strategy. Track and meet all case deadlines. Demonstrate superior legal skills and analysis and high-quality written work that requires minimal review or editing.

Outreach, Community Education, Development, and Organizational Efforts

• Participate in RMIAN’s outreach, community education, and development efforts.

• Foster relationships with clients willing to engage in campaigns to promote public awareness of RMIAN’s work and its impact on people who seek lasting protection from deportation in the United States.

• Participate in community building, committee work and other activities within RMIAN.

Required skills and experience:

• Admission to any state bar.

• Professional proficiency in English and Spanish sufficient to represent clients without an interpreter (will be tested during interviews)

• Immigration law experience in removal defense.

• Deep dedication to immigration legal services, working with individuals in detention, commitment to working with members of marginalized groups, and people with prior history of involvement in the criminal and immigration legal systems.

• Demonstrated cultural competency.

Location:

This position is based out of RMIAN’s office located in Westminster, Colorado but requires frequent travel to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. Currently, remote work is possible when office presence is not required for business operations. Current requirements for onsite presence will be shared during the recruitment process.

Compensation:

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. Salary is commensurate with experience; the range is between $80,000 to $95,000. Salary includes a generous benefits package which includes:

• Generous paid time off with 15 days of vacation in the first year of employment and an additional 2 days for each additional year of employment, 10 sick days, 11 Federal holidays, plus, an annual week-long holiday office closure;

• Excellent health insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);

• Dental & vision insurance (90% covered by RMIAN);

• Life insurance & professional liability insurance (100% covered);

• Professional development funds and opportunities;

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s Simple IRA retirement plan (RMIAN matches 4%); and

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s flexible spending plan.

If this profile calls to you, please send your resume, a writing sample, references, and a short cover letter that explains why this role is a great fit for you to hr@rmian.org.

RMIAN is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.

What Trump’s second term means for Colorado immigrants, public lands, abortion access and Space Command

As national Republicans celebrated the election of Donald Trump as president last week, the progressives and Democrats who lead Colorado and shape its policies wondered — and began planning for — what a second Trump administration would mean for the steady-blue Centennial State.

In the days since Trump won, Colorado officials have cautioned that a sea of unknowns remain. It’s unclear whom he will choose for his cabinet or how closely he’ll follow the Republican-drafted Project 2025, a guide for a second Trump administration from which the president-elect sought to distance himself during the campaign.

Still, state legislators and policy advocates have raised concerns about how potential swings on key national issues, like new abortion restrictions or the mass deportations Trump said he would start in Aurora, might wash over a Democratic state that’s positioned itself as fundamentally opposed to many of Trump’s positions. On multiple fronts, they said, they expect Trump to act more quickly and aggressively to impose his agenda in a second term.

“Obviously, this (new administration) is going to be more challenging,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said. “It’s something we’re prepared for, something we’ve done before — and we’ll do it again.”

Uniquely Colorado concerns — like keeping the previously contested headquarters of the U.S. Space Command and protecting the state’s extensive public lands — suddenly feel imperiled. Democratic state lawmakers, who last week maintained their large majorities amid a national political shift to the right, braced to act as a bulwark against federal deregulation and conservative U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Here’s how the second Trump term, set to begin Jan. 20, could impact Colorado’s immigrants, public lands, abortion access, statehouse agenda and the location of Space Command.

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Immigration actions likely

In October, Trump traveled to Colorado and announced his plans to launch “Operation Aurora,” which would use a nearly 230-year-old law to deport undocumented immigrants with gang ties. He’s pledged to undertake a broader mass deportation operation to expel the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country — starting with Aurora.

Colorado is home to roughly 156,000 undocumented immigrants, according to a July study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston told The Denver Post last week that his city would “not participate” in Trump’s mass deportation plans.

State law prohibits local law enforcement from holding someone in jail beyond their release date solely on a “detainer” request, which is used by federal authorities to ensure they’re notified before an undocumented immigrant is let out.

Doug Friednash, who was chief of staff to then-Gov. John Hickenlooper until late 2017, predicted that immigration enforcement and deportations would be among the first legal fights that Colorado has with the new Trump administration.

Colorado could become “ground zero” for battles over Trump’s plans, he said.

“What happens when Trump decides on Operation Aurora, or that we’re going to start deportation, and he looks to the state? Not just with (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), but he looks to the National Guard to enforce that. What does Gov. (Jared) Polis do, and what does the state do?” said Friednash, a lawyer who’s now at the law and lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.

Through a spokeswoman, Polis, who made frequent national TV appearances during the campaign in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, declined requests for interviews about Trump’s potential impact on immigration and other issues in the state.

About 2,000 protesters, concerned over rumors of federal immigration roundups in Denver, rallied outside an ICE detention facility in Aurora on July 12, 2019. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat who represents Aurora in Congress, was defiant.

“If (Trump) wants to carry out mass deportations and break up families and devastate our economy,” Crow said Thursday, “then we will of course resist that with all of our force.”

Trump’s win brought disbelief and uncertainty to Colorado’s immigrant community, said Mekela Goehring, the executive director of the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network. It also underscored the need for the group’s mission of providing free legal and social services to immigrant children and to adults in immigration detention, she said.

She expects new actions in line with immigration policies implemented by Trump during his first term.

“Now, the most critical component is ensuring there are lawyers in the system so there is some accountability and a check of due process,” Goehring said. “Separating children from their parents (or) forcing people to be in a prison-like setting while navigating immigration proceedings is incredibly harmful to community members.”

Pivot on public lands policies

“Drill, baby, drill” has served as one of Trump’s clearest and most consistent policy messages — and it’s a policy that will play out across some of the 24 million acres of federally managed public lands that cover nearly a third of Colorado.

Trump’s victory is a boon to oil and gas producers in the West, said Kathleen Sgamma, president of Western Energy Alliance, a Denver-based trade group.

“We’ll be working with the new administration to reassess some of the rules, some of which Western Energy Alliance is suing on,” said Sgamma, who helped write the section on energy policy in Project 2025’s plan for the Department of the Interior. “We’ll be looking to move forward on leasing, which the Biden-Harris administration has all but stopped” on federal land.

Sgamma hoped the new administration would reassess National Environmental Policy Act review processes that she said had slowed oil and gas development.

She also expressed hope that the administration would roll back the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule, which made conservation an equally important use of BLM land as grazing, recreation, energy development and other uses. The administration should also reverse a Biden administration change that increased BLM land-leasing costs for energy development, she said.

Clouds hover over the Ute Mountains behind Bureau of Land Management land near Cortez, Colorado, on Oct. 1, 2021. More than 8.3 million acres of public land in Colorado is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. (Photo by Rebecca Slezak/The Denver Post)

The BLM manages 8.3 million acres of land in Colorado, primarily on the Western Slope. Presidential appointees in Trump’s first administration moved the BLM headquarters to Grand Junction, a move that Biden later reversed.

A second Trump administration will likely act faster and be better prepared to roll back environmental regulations than its previous iteration, said Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities, a Denver-based conservation and advocacy organization.

“I think you have to consider every conservation effort over the last three decades to be at risk, because they do not see any value in seeing public lands protected for recreation, fishing or hunting,” he said. “They look at public lands as sources of income.”

Weiss expects the Trump administration will open up more U.S. Forest Service land — which covers 11.3 million acres in Colorado — to logging under the guise of wildfire mitigation.

“That just means: If we chop down all the trees, they can’t burn,” he said.

National monuments, too, could come under scrutiny by Trump’s administration — especially those created by Biden, Weiss said. In his last administration, Trump slashed the size of Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments.

Biden created one new monument in Colorado: the 53,804-acre Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument north of Leadville. In western Colorado, a coalition of rafters and environmentalists for months have urged Biden to create a new monument along the Dolores River — an effort that would face a much steeper uphill climb under Trump.

Colorado depends on millions of dollars in federal funding for environmental protection work, so cuts to regulatory agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency could have downstream ripple effects here, said Phaedra Pezzullo. She is a professor and co-director of the graduate certificate of environmental justice at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Trump pledged during his campaign to stop any spending from the Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden’s administration called “the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever.” But Trump may find that hampering the law — which has poured more than $1.7 billion into Colorado projects — is politically unpopular, Pezzullo said.

“I think a lot of things were said bombastically on the campaign trail, so we’ll see when the rubber hits the road,” she said.

Also unclear is the mark Trump might make on spending and grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which local transportation leaders have begun tapping for the Front Range Passenger Rail initiative. Federal officials have designated it as a priority transit corridor.

Colorado leaders and lawmakers’ strong bipartisan support of environmental protection for air, water and land gave Pezzullo hope that state policy could serve as a buffer to potential federal deregulation.

“I would feel much more worried if I lived in a state that didn’t have the leadership we had on the environment,” she said.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., left, shakes hands with Gen. John W. Raymond, the commander of the U.S. Space Command, Sept. 9, 2019, during a ceremony to recognize the establishment of the United States Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)

Space Command’s future

In the waning days of the first Trump administration in January 2021, the Pentagon announced that U.S. Space Command would move from its interim home in Colorado Springs to a permanent headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama.

Then, in summer 2023, the Biden administration reversed that decision and kept the headquarters in Colorado, where it achieved operational readiness late last year.

Now, Space Command may be set to move again. Politico reported Wednesday that Trump is “expected” to move Space Command back to Huntsville.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican and the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, told Politico that Trump would enforce what two U.S. Air Force secretaries had determined: “That is, Huntsville won the competition … and that’s where it should be and that’s where he’s going to build it.”

Should that happen, it would be the latest turn in a series of ping-ponging decisions affecting the newly reestablished military command. Such a move would also jeopardize more than 1,000 jobs and $1 billion in annual economic benefits in Colorado, according to 2023 estimates from the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Any renewed effort to move Space Command from Colorado would spark a united and bipartisan fight from Colorado’s congressional delegation. U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Crank, a Republican who will represent Colorado Springs in Congress, told The Post he hadn’t yet dug into Trump’s potential impact on Space Command. But he said he would defend its presence in his new district.

“Obviously, I believe that if it’s down to military value, (then) Colorado is the place for it to be,” Crank said Wednesday. “And I think that continuous studies have shown that. If it’s based on political decisions, it could move somewhere else. But I think it makes eminent sense to keep it here.”

Crow said he would “resist any attempt” to move the command’s headquarters, though he said it wasn’t yet clear if that could happen.

“With Donald Trump, you never know,” he said. “He changes his positions and his stance on issues by the day, and sometimes by the hour. If he wants to build out the Space Force and Space Command and have it meet the national security moment and our threats, then he will keep it here.”

Derek Torstenson makes a pro-abortion rights statement with the use of a bullhorn as Edgar Mares and Susan Gills pray, joining others rallying against Amendment 79 at the Colorado Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Defending abortion access

Trump’s victory dampened celebrations by abortion-rights advocates in Colorado who, in the same election, ran a successful ballot initiative to place the right to abortion in the state constitution.

“Even though people thought we couldn’t do it — that we were being too bold — we stuck to our position because we know it’s the right thing to do,” said Dusti Gurule, CEO of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights. “Now it’s even more critical that we did what we did.”

Although Trump’s stance on abortion has repeatedly shifted, he said in the final stages of his campaign that he would favor allowing states to decide whether abortion should be legal.

If he and Congress abide by that position, Colorado will have some of the strongest abortion protections in the country thanks to the success of Amendment 79, said Karen Middleton, the president of Cobalt Advocates, an abortion-rights group. But abortion providers and advocates are still preparing for regulatory changes that could impact access and options here.

“Yes, we’re worried, but we’re also prepared,” Gurule said. “We’re not going to stop fighting.”

Middleton said advocates in Colorado planned to pursue state legislation to protect against further challenges to a federal law that requires emergency rooms to provide care to stabilize patients, including emergency abortions.

The passage of Amendment 79 also could allow more Coloradans to receive insurance coverage for abortion, including state employees and people who use Medicaid. That will free up capacity for outside providers to care for people coming to Colorado for services from states where abortion is banned, said Nicole Hensel, executive director of New Era Colorado.

Other challenges to abortion rights and access could come through the revival of a century-old federal law, the Comstock Act, that, if enforced, would make it illegal to mail or receive medical equipment used in abortion procedures, said Jack Teter, regional director of government affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

Weiser, the state’s attorney general, speculated about possible Trump administrative action to limit access to the abortion drug mifepristone. Any such effort, Weiser said, would lead to legal challenges from his office. Medication abortion using drugs like mifepristone accounted for 63% of all abortions in 2023, making it an increasingly common abortion method.

Despite the potential challenges in coming years, Planned Parenthood’s providers will keep working to care for Coloradans and people from all over the country, Teter said.

“We’ve been here for 100 years,” he said, “and we’re not going anywhere.”

Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie addresses supporters during a Democratic watch party at Number 38 in Denver on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

How will the statehouse react?

In the days after Trump’s victory, Colorado legislators were still sifting through what a second Trump administration could mean for the state — and how that would affect their work and the very posture of state government.

House Speaker Julie McCluskie, whose Democratic caucus defended nearly all of its large majority in last week’s election, cautioned that it was too early to determine how the legislature may respond to a Trump administration. Affordability remains a top concern for voters, she said, and that will be the focus for legislators in 2025.

Still, she said, “there’s some issues that I think are clearly on the horizon for us. I would point to immigration (and) the statements that Trump made when he visited Colorado — that (his) mass deportation effort would start here. That is something where I think we will respond and react.”

Other Democratic legislators said Trump’s victory would change their agenda in 2025 and beyond, even if the exact contours of a second Trump term remain unclear.

“It will impact the legislative agenda. It will,” said Denver Democratic Rep. Jennifer Bacon. “I don’t know to what extent. But if it did (in recent years), when we were dealing with the residuals of his (first) term — imagine that we’re in it.”

She noted the likelihood that Trump will fill another Supreme Court seat, after his earlier appointees joined court majorities that “undid administrative law, they undid reproductive rights, and I do believe they’re going to come for civil rights, when it comes to law enforcement.”

Federal action has sparked state legislative changes in the past, among them the “residuals” Bacon referred to: Legislators enshrined Miranda rights for arrestees in state law after a Supreme Court decision undercut them. The legislature passed sweeping abortion protections ahead of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. And concerns about the future of marriage equality spurred the legislature to refer a successful ballot measure removing defunct language banning same-sex marriage from the state constitution.

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Bacon listed Medicaid and Pell Grant funding as specific concerns for potential funding cuts. She and other Democrats also pointed to air quality and the future of the EPA, which will likely have different priorities under Trump. State lawmakers last session created state regulations protecting certain waterways after a U.S. Supreme Court decision undid federal protections.

If Trump rolls back regulations, Bacon said, the state may need to reconsider its role in oversight.

State Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat who has championed immigrants’ rights bills in the legislature, said Colorado officials will continue their work to protect marginalized communities, including immigrants and people who are transgender.

She called Colorado “a state that lives its values of treating people with dignity and respect” and said state-level results — showing Democrats retaining strong majorities in the Capitol — reinforced those values. Gonzales expects more work on that front in the coming months, though it’s too early to say exactly what those policies might look like.

“Immigrant communities, particularly, have been down this road before,” Gonzales said. “We’ve seen the pain, division and fear-mongering that the first Trump administration wrought on our communities. This time we know what to expect. And it’s why, over the past several years, at the local and state level, we’ve worked to enact policies to protect all Coloradans’ safety and well-being.”

Staff writers Joe Rubino, Nick Coltrain and Elizabeth Hernandez contributed to this story.

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Originally Published: November 10, 2024 at 6:00 AM MST