The Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) are pleased to announce the Notice of Funding Opportunity (Notice) for the second year of the justice AmeriCorps program.
 
The purpose of the justice AmeriCorps grant funding is to improve the efficient and effective adjudication of immigration court proceedings involving certain unaccompanied children.  Grants awarded in response to this Notice will enable grantees to enroll lawyers and paralegals to serve as AmeriCorps members (members) providing direct legal representation and other legal services to this certain unaccompanied children.  The program will also help identify unaccompanied children who have been victims of human trafficking or abuse to assist in the investigation and prosecution of those who perpetrate such crimes on those children.
 
EOIR and CNCS expect to issue approximately $2 million in grant awards under this Notice.   The program hopes to enroll approximately 100 lawyers and paralegals as AmeriCorps members to provide legal services to the most vulnerable of these children.
 
Specifically, the program is intended to provide direct representation to children under the age of 16 who:
  • are not in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) or the Department of Homeland Security;
     
  • have received a "Notice to Appear" in removal proceedings before EOIR;
     
  • have not had their cases consolidated with removal proceedings against a parent or legal guardian; 
     
  • For new programs: have their initial Master Calendar hearing in immigration court one month prior to the start date of the program 
     
  • For continuation programs - have their initial Master Calendar hearing in immigration court scheduled after January 1, 2015 (with possible exceptions.)
 
Applications are due on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at 5pm EST.  Successful applicants will be notified of funding awards by August 31, 2015.
 
 

Further information

Status
Open
CFDA number
94.006
Contact Email
Americorpsgrants@cns.gov