NMILC's mission is to advance justice and equity by empowering low-income immigrant communities through collaborative legal services, advocacy, and education. We are a 501(c)3 that collaborates closely with our partner organizations to meet the continuing and emergent needs of our community. This Accompaniment Volunteer Role is part of NMILC's Family Preparedness program, which supports immigrant family members to think through preparing in case of deportation or detention, ensuring their household has plans in place to care for their children and protecting their property/assets. Accompaniment Volunteers play an integral role by prioritizing the impacted people’s safety and wellbeing, supporting them in creating an emergency family preparedness plan and establishing a “circle of protection” made up of client/immigrant community member’s own trusted contacts, accompanying NMILC clients/immigrant community members to their ICE check-ins or court hearings, and supporting with follow up/referrals as needed. Through this work, Accompaniment Volunteers play a vital role in furthering NMILC’s vision of a more just New Mexico for all of us.
Volunteer eligibility/expectations:
This program is intended for experienced and vetted volunteers with the demonstrated cultural awareness and commitment to centering the safety, agency, and well-being of immigrants.
For volunteers that will physically accompany an immigrant onsite to immigration court or an ICE office, we highly encourage this role solely for U.S. citizens. There are other ways you can volunteer with NMILC if you are not a U.S. citizen.
Immigrant accompaniment requires you to have flexible availability and reliable transportation to respond to accompaniment requests as we receive them. These requests may entail accompaniment to either immigration courthouse hearings or ICE check-ins. Volunteers without access to their own vehicles are still welcome to join.
Immigrant accompaniment requires you to use both Signal and Whatsapp messaging applications for secure and effective correspondence.
NMILC Accompaniment Volunteers must avoid engaging with ICE officers or other authorities while accompanying clients/community members; volunteers in this role must prioritize the wellbeing of the immigrant and therefore avoid agitating any agents present. While on-the-ground protest is an important aspect of the immigrant rights movement, volunteers in this role must not participate in such actions while actively engaging in accompaniment.
Volunteers are expected to share and maintain your own boundaries around levels of social or emotional support you are willing to provide.
Volunteers are asked to attend recurring accompaniment trainings to stay up to date on emergent needs or changes within the program, as well as participate in continued learning and political education.
Volunteer responsibilities/duties:
Accompaniment is a form of community and solidarity. Volunteers observe, support, and empower participants during interactions with institutions, helping ensure transparency, safety and respect while centering the participants voice and choices. This involves:
Moral/Social Support: Train to build empathy and prioritize impacted people's safety, interests, and well-being always.
Preparedness: Complete a family preparedness workbook with the accompaniment client. Think through every stage of the work, before/during/after an in-person accompaniment, considering risks of the non-citizen, the volunteers, and the data involved.
Documentation
Before appointment- Advance emergency family preparedness planning.
At the appointment-Incident Reporting, observer, support the participant emotionally
Follow Up: Advocacy strategy, Assessment of needs, Mutual aid (within capacity)
All volunteers are required to complete NMILC's volunteer onboarding protocols, starting with completing this form: https://www.nmilc.org/volunteer-inquiry-form
