SummaryThe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is seeking multiple attorneys to join our legal team as Counsel in the National Security Law Division (NSLD).
NOTE: Applicants currently serving in attorney positions for ICE cannot use this announcement for reassignment.DutiesHelp
OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 3,000 attorneys nationwide. OPLA serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), litigating cases involving criminal aliens, terrorists, human rights abusers, and aliens posing a threat to our homeland security. OPLA also provides specialized legal advice and a full range of legal services to all ICE directorates and program offices. Specifically, divisions within OPLA's Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation (EG&L), 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 law and policies. EG&L divisions also advise and provide prudential counsel to an array of operational and policy clients within ICE on contracts, fiscal, and information law issues, as well as ethics matters.
NSLD attorneys provide nationwide oversight and support for OPLA's litigation of national security issues before EOIR. NSLD coordinates with and provides support and guidance to the ICE attorneys litigating the removal proceedings of individuals of national security concern, including terrorists, foreign intelligence agents, and export violators. NSLD collaborates with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Intelligence Community, and the Department of State, as well as the National Security, Civil, and Criminal Divisions of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on immigration issues involving national security matters. In addition, NSLD provides support in criminal prosecutions and federal litigation involving immigration-related national security issues, including developing case strategies, reviewing pleadings, substantive motions, and briefing papers, and providing litigation recommendations. NSLD frequently engages with ICE leadership, DOJ, and DHS Office of the General Counsel Headquarters attorneys to coordinate the successful resolution of national security cases. NSLD also provides administrative law and federal litigation support to the HSI Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which was established by Congress in response to the 9/11 attacks. SEVP provides integrity to the U.S. immigration system by collecting, maintaining, and analyzing information so legitimate nonimmigrant students enter the United States, and ensures that the academic institutions accepting nonimmigrant students are certified and complying with federal regulations.
Selected attorneys will immediately be given significant responsibilities and will be expected to 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.
RequirementsHelp
Conditions of employment- You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug test for federal employment.
- Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
- 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, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
QualificationsQualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. 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 U.S. state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or 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 five 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 a graduate of an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LLM degree. Please see
Required Documents for more information.
A student loan repayment incentive may be available; if such an incentive is available and is authorized, a service agreement will be required.
Bargaining Unit Status: This is a non-bargaining position.
Promotion Potential: This position has promotion potential to the GS-15 level. 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 duties at a higher level and administrative approval. Further, promotion from the GS-14 level to the GS-15 level is subject to OPLA's internal guidance.
Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the Excepted Service; however, OPLA considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.
Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.
Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment, you must complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
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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.
