Summer 2026 Undergraduate Intern, National Prison Project

About the Role

The ACLU seeks a Summer Undergraduate Intern in the National Prison Project of the ACLU’s National office in Washington D.C. This position may be remote or hybrid.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated undergraduate students and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

The Team:

The National Prison Project works to ensure that conditions in prisons, jails, juvenile detention centers, and immigration detention facilities comply with the Constitution, domestic law, and international human rights principles. The Project has successfully litigated on behalf of incarcerated people in more than 25 states. It is the only organization litigating conditions of confinement cases nationwide. Our priorities include reducing overcrowding, improving health care, challenging the use of solitary confinement, and increasing oversight and accountability in prisons, jails, and other places of detention. We also work to reverse the policies that have given the United States the highest incarceration rate in the world and led to extreme over-representation of people of color in the incarcerated population.

What You’ll Do:

The intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working with the National Prison Project team. They will learn about creating change through prison reform litigation and advocacy work.

Your Day to Day:

• Assisting with the production and distribution of advocacy materials

• Conducting factual research and writing regarding the rights of incarcerated people and legislative movement

• Gathering current information related to prison and jail conditions

• Documenting and tracking complaints received from incarcerated people and responding with informational materials

• Providing campaign and litigation support to supervising attorneys

What You'll Bring:

• Completed first year of an undergraduate degree

• A strong interest in the rights of incarcerated people and a commitment to civil rights

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently

• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills

• Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel)

Future ACLU'ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU

• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives

• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

Internship Logistics

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be remote or hybrid and based in our Washington D.C. office.

• Time Commitment: Summer internships require a full-time (35 hours/week) commitment.

• Internship Duration: Summer internships span 10 consecutive weeks with a start date of May 26 or June 8.

• Stipend: A stipend is available for those students who are lawfully authorized to work. Students who receive outside funding are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for the summer. Undergraduate interns receive a stipend amount $20/hour (stipends are taxed)

Why the ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

  Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.