Penn Law Immigrant Rights Project (PLIRP)

The Penn Law Immigrants’ Rights Project (PLIRP) is dedicated to providing legal services to people from around the world seeking to secure or adjust their immigration status in the United States.

What we do:

PLIRP partners with legal service organizations in Philadelphia and beyond to accompany immigrants through various immigration processes including asylum, permanent residence, naturalization, DACA, U visas, and others. PLIRP members also conduct research on immigration legal issues for our partner organizations and participate in discussions about immigration law and policy.

How we do it:

We partner with major immigration organizations in the Philadelphia area and beyond—including HIAS, Nationalities Service Center, and Innovation Law Lab—to assist clients in navigating immigration legal process. Depending on the needs of the partner and the project, PLIRP members might meet with a client several times over the semester to gather information and fill out a visa application, spend a few hours in a clinic setting giving a know-your-rights presentation, or research country conditions on behalf of an asylum-seeker.

How and when can I join:

Students can join our listserv any time filling out this form. Opportunities to volunteer are sent out via the listserv as they become available. Students can email questions to plirp.info@gmail.com.

What skills will I develop:

Client counseling, interviewing and intake, working with vulnerable clients, policy/advocacy, legal research and writing, community engagement.

The work is likely to be New York Bar eligible.