WHO WE ARE

FWD.us is a policy organization working to advance better and more politically resilient solutions on criminal justice and immigration. For too long, our harmful criminal justice and immigration systems have held us back and been weaponized in ways that undermine our nation’s promise and democratic ideals.

Our Federal Policy and Government Relations team is seeking a detail-oriented critical thinker with strong research and writing skills for a paid, full-time internship supporting our immigration work. This internship will work closely with our government relations, advocacy, and policy  team and is an opportunity to support immigration advocacy to policy makers, conduct research, assist in outreach, and build valuable organizing skills.

Applicants should be strong writers with the availability to work full-time on weekdays from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM starting early September. This position will be expected to work on-site in the Washington, D.C. office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with the potential to work remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. Interns are paid $21/hr, plus benefits.

Application Deadline: Please submit by August 1,2026.

For consideration, please submit a resume, cover letter,​ and contact information for two references.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in writing and editing immigration-related resources, including policy explainers, advocacy guides, our weekly newsletter, and more. 
• Engage in organizational efforts to educate the higher education and business communities about supporting undocumented individuals with and without DACA.
• Support our day-to-day Federal Policy and Government Relations operations.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Dedication to the mission of FWD.us and sensitivity to issues of migration and criminalization of impacted communities of our core issue areas.
• Base knowledge of immigration politics, in particular, undocumented immigration issues.
• Adept at data management.
• Proven writing ability and strong attention to detail with the ability to adapt to new conditions, assignments, and deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Equal Opportunity Employment/Diversity

We are an organization committed to making the world a better place for all people. Diversity is a source of our strength, and allows us to make better decisions, be more impactful, and excel at our jobs day to day. We see our internal commitment to diversity as reflective of how we view the world and the changes we want to see become reality.

This organization is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applications for employment on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination.

The organization understands that too often what are viewed as the traditional credentials are subjective criteria that exclude historically marginalized communities and act as barriers to hiring and recruiting the best candidates. 

As part of FWD’s best hiring practices, we do not have educational requirements for any of our jobs.  Many of our jobs do require specific interpersonal, skill-based, technical, policy or other requirements and applicants for those jobs will be evaluated based on their level of expertise, to include lived experience and work experience - which could have taken place at an educational institution or elsewhere.

FWD.us believes in fair chances and employment opportunities that benefit everyone. Ensuring that people who have had contact with the criminal justice system--including incarceration for serious offenses and substantial periods of time--have the opportunities upon their release to fully succeed and contribute to this country is central to our work and is a value to which we are absolutely committed to uphold in how we operate and who we hire. We do not conduct criminal background checks on applicants, unless required by state or federal law for specific roles.

The organization makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to allow such persons to perform the essential functions of their jobs, to the extent required by law. Employees or applicants who would like to request a reasonable accommodation should contact Management. The organization will also, where appropriate, provide reasonable accommodations for an employee’s sincerely-held religious beliefs or practices.

Applicants directly impacted by the criminal justice or immigration systems are strongly encouraged to apply.