Getting Started:
Understand How You Can Help
Translators and interpreters play a critical role in helping to support access to justice and due process for immigrants. Translators can provide document translation services for legal declarations and supporting documents. Interpreters can help clients during meetings with their lawyers and at interviews with immigration officers. While Spanish is in high-demand, nonprofit legal service providers value translators and interpreters with skills in almost any language.
Translation and Interpretation in Immigration
In addition to a high level of written and/or oral fluency in another language, translators and interpreters working with vulnerable populations should be culturally competent and familiar with language access standards. Explore resources on translation and interpretation in the immigration context.
Find An Opportunity
Many nonprofit immigration legal service providers offer volunteer opportunities for translators and interpreters. To find a program in your area, enter your zip code or choose your state on our national volunteer opportunities guide. You can also check out our lists of ongoing local and national projects that are currently recruiting volunteers, or look at our volunteers needed calendar for special events and short-term opportunities near you.
Learn About the U.S. Immigration System
U.S. immigration law can be complex, and there is a lot of confusion about how it works. Immigration laws have many goals, including keeping families together, bringing skilled workers to the U.S., and protecting people from danger. Some laws allow people to stay for a limited time. Other laws allow people to qualify for permanent legal status. Learn more about immigration law and how the U.S. immigration system works.