General Attorney

Immigration and Customs Enforcement • Birmingham, AL

6h

About The Position

The General Attorney serves with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), the Department of Homeland Security’s largest legal program. OPLA represents DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review and provides legal services to ICE programs and offices. Its attorneys advise ICE personnel on law enforcement authorities, legal liability, public records and privacy laws, ethics, and administrative matters, and represent the agency before administrative boards and commissions. They also support Department of Justice prosecutions and the defense of civil cases involving ICE.

The selected attorney will take on significant responsibilities, including developing legally supportable policies, providing timely legal opinions to ICE officers, agents, management, and leadership, assessing litigation risk, and supporting the Department of Justice. At the full performance level, the attorney represents the government in removal proceedings, prepares and litigates cases, provides advice on complex immigration and customs law, supports federal court litigation, and conducts appellate advocacy before the Board of Immigration Appeals. The announcement covers multiple potential vacancies at locations throughout the United States; qualified applicants may be referred as needed, and vacancies are not guaranteed at every location.

Requirements

• Be an active member in good standing of the bar of a U.S. state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• Graduate from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or LL.M. degree.
• Successfully pass a federal employment background investigation and drug screening; selected applicants must obtain and maintain a Secret-level security clearance.
• Meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the announcement deadline of February 15, 2027.
• Demonstrate the ability to produce quality legal analyses of complex and novel issues, exercise sound legal judgment, attend to detail, prioritize competing assignments, and work independently and collaboratively.
• Demonstrate strong written and oral advocacy, initiative, reliability, decisiveness, professionalism, organizational skills, and client-service ability, including adapting communications to the audience.
• If male and born after December 31, 1959, certify registration with the Selective Service.
• Disclose current or qualifying recent Executive Branch political-appointee service to the Human Resources Office.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience or a strong interest in supporting diverse program offices, including law enforcement officers, policymakers, attorneys, and agency senior leadership.
• Veterans’ preference eligibility is considered a positive factor in attorney hiring.
• Eligibility as a veteran, Peace Corps or VISTA volunteer, or person with a disability may provide access to federal hiring authorities that do not require competing with the public.

Responsibilities

• Represent the United States Government in removal proceedings before immigration judges, including cases involving asylum applicants or applicants for other forms of relief under immigration law.
• Advise on the interpretation of complex immigration and customs laws, including applicable statutory, regulatory, and case authorities.
• Prepare cases for litigation through legal research and preparation of pleadings, motions, briefs, stipulations, affidavits, and other legal documents.
• Prepare witnesses, conduct direct and cross-examinations, present oral arguments, and negotiate case dispositions with opposing counsel.
• Advise regional counsel on cases that may warrant deferred action or another exercise of prosecutorial discretion.
• Prepare litigation reports for United States Attorney’s Offices concerning civil matters involving ICE in federal courts.
• Serve as liaison between the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation and local Enforcement and Removal Field Offices on immigration matters pending in Circuit Courts of Appeals.
• Provide legal advice and support to other ICE components and litigation support to United States Attorney’s Offices in immigration and customs matters.
• Conduct appellate advocacy before the Board of Immigration Appeals, including preparing briefs and other pleadings.
• Develop legally supportable policies, provide timely legal opinions, assess litigation risk, and provide litigation support to the Department of Justice.

Benefits

• A federal employee benefits package is available to eligible employees; specific benefits depend on position type.
• A student loan repayment incentive may be available, subject to a service agreement.
• Potential promotion to GS-14; promotion is not guaranteed and depends on performance, agency needs, and administrative approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level