SummaryJoin the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) as Counsel for the Enforcement and Removal Operations Law Division (EROLD) to leverage your legal experience to serve your country.
Selected attorneys will collaborate within a dynamic team of enforcement attorneys to provide legal advice and guidance to Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers and other stakeholders on high-profile agency matters in a fast-paced environment.
DutiesHelp
OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 3,000 attorneys nationwide to provide a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices. OPLA's Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation (EG&L) divisions, through close client engagement, advance ICE's homeland security and public safety mission by providing expert legal advice and guidance to ICE personnel enforcing our nation's immigration, customs, and criminal laws and policies. Counsel for EG&L also defend the operational authorities and decisions of ICE officers and agents in the federal courts, and support the advocacy of ICE attorneys before the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), with special emphasis on cases involving criminal aliens, human rights violators, and aliens who threaten our national security.
Within EG&L, EROLD attorneys serve as agency counsel to ERO at the headquarters level, providing guidance and timely legal counsel on a variety of law enforcement authorities and functions, including civil immigration arrests; detention and release authorities; conditions of confinement; detainers; alternative processing pathways (e.g., expedited removal); fugitive operations; juvenile and family unit issues; repatriation initiatives; and the 287(g) program. EROLD attorneys develop legal opinions and review and draft policy directives, legislation, regulations, and other materials for DHS, ICE, and OPLA leadership on the legal and policy aspects of ERO immigration enforcement functions. EROLD attorneys frequently engage with ICE leadership, the DHS Office of the General Counsel Headquarters attorneys, other DHS component legal offices, and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to coordinate the successful resolution of federal litigation and immigration enforcement matters impacting ERO equities.
EROLD also houses ICE's regulatory program consisting of regulatory attorneys, analysts, and economists.
Selected attorneys will be given significant responsibilities and will be expected to research and craft persuasive, legally supportable positions to address the needs of agency operational components. Selected attorneys will be expected to routinely provide timely legal opinions to ICE officers and agents, division management, and leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the DHS Office of the General Counsel Headquarters. Selected attorneys will also provide litigation support to DOJ.
This is an in-person position located in Washington, DC.
RequirementsHelp
Conditions of employment- You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug screen for federal employment.
- If you are a male born after 12/31/59, you must certify registration with the Selective Service.
- You must have relevant experience (see How You Will Be Evaluated and Qualifications tabs).
- You must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
- You may be required to serve a two-year trial period, if the requirement has not been met.
- You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
QualificationsUnless otherwise noted, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on 09/01/2026. Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification.Applicants should be able to efficiently produce quality legal analyses of complex and novel issues, exercise sound legal judgment, prioritize competing assignments, and work effectively independently, as part of a team, and across work units. Applicants should be detail-oriented and have a strong interest in supporting and providing stellar client services to program offices, including law enforcement officers, policymakers, attorneys, and agency senior leadership, and must be able to tailor communications to a particular audience. Applicants should be able to take initiative and work in a reliable, decisive, and professional manner.
Applicants should possess the following characteristics and competencies: integrity, sound professional judgment, organizational skills, decisiveness, initiative, stellar client services, the ability to function independently and cooperatively, and superior written and oral advocacy skills.
Bar Membership: You must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
EducationApplicants must be graduates of an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LLM degree.
Additional informationPromotion Potential: This position has promotion potential to the GS-15. When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.
Bargaining Unit Status: Bargaining Unit Status varies in which division the position resides. The exclusive representative for this bargaining unit position is the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), with representation provided by AFGE, Local 511.
To be considered, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter. You may also be asked to provide a writing sample and/or a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
BenefitsHelp
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
