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The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) is seeking an energetic and dedicated attorney to serve as an Associate Legal Advisor with the Human Rights Violator Law Division (HRVLD) in Washington, D.C.
One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement.
General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
05/17/2023 to 06/06/2023
$78,592 - $183,500 per year
GS 11 - 15
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
No
Permanent
Full-time
Excepted
15
No
Yes
DE-11968809-23-LP
726245800
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
ICE OPLA HRVLD is seeking an attorney for an Associate Legal Advisor position in Washington, D.C. to handle issues relating to human trafficking, T visas, U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and Continued Presence, including, at a minimum the duty to:
For this position, HRVLD primarily provides legal advice to DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking personnel, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents, HSI Victim Assistance Program personnel, and OPLA attorneys. HRVLD's work contributes to significant policy decisions integral to ICE's mission. Assignments within HRVLD are fast-paced and involve high-profile work. HRVLD attorneys advise, counsel, and train attorneys, agents and officers on legal authorities, best practices, and agency policies on a wide array of issues.
HRVLD attorneys work closely with a wide range of ICE program offices, as described. They also work with other DHS component agencies and offices, and other federal agencies and departments.
The selected attorney will immediately be given significant responsibilities and will be expected to craft legally supportable policies to address the needs of agency operational components. The attorney will be expected to routinely provide timely legal opinions to ICE officers and agents, HRVLD management, and leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the General Counsel Headquarters. The selected attorney will be required to assess litigation risk and provide litigation support to the Department of Justice.
OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 1,000 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are 25 OPLA field locations in more than 60 cities throughout the United States. Pursuant to statute, OPLA serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review litigating cases involving criminal noncitizens, terrorists, human rights abusers, and other priority noncitizens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices.
OPLA provides legal advice and prudential counsel to ICE personnel on their law enforcement authorities, legal liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act and Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Fed. Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, ethics, and a range of administrative law issues, such as contract, fiscal and employment law. OPLA represents the agency before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Contract Board of Appeals. OPLA attorneys support the Department of Justice in the prosecution of ICE cases and in the defense of civil cases against the ICE.
OPLA fosters an environment in which all voices are heard and values the unique perspectives and opinions that inhere among a talented, diverse, and inclusive workforce. Comprising a far more diverse workforce than its private sector counterparts, OPLA is proud to strive to further diversify the experiences, perspectives, and characteristics of its workforce and is committed to celebrating our differences and embracing practices that foster a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace by promoting equitable access to opportunities.
Applicants must be a graduate of an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) 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.
E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
Bargaining Unit Status: This is a non-bargaining position.
Promotion 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.
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.
Background Investigation: DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants for this position must undergo a background investigation and successfully obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Secret level as a condition of placement into this position. This process may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support, and tax obligations, and a review of certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
Drug Test: Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. All applicants tentatively selected for employment are subject to pre-employment drug testing, and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative result.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
All information and documents submitted as set forth in the Required Documents section will be reviewed to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements.
Qualified candidates will be rated by comparing each candidate's qualifications to the skills and experience pertinent to the position to be filled. Experience, education, training, awards, and performance will be considered. An applicant need not have specific knowledge and experience regarding each item listed in the Qualifications section to qualify for the position.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
You must include all required documentation, as set forth below, with your application package before the closing date. No extensions will be granted. Failure to provide all the required information as listed in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect your overall rating.
Cover Letter: Your cover letter must discuss your interest in the position; your pertinent knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience; and your personal characteristics and competencies that qualify you for the position as detailed in the Duties and Qualifications sections of this announcement. Your cover letter must also include your full name; home address; home or work e-mail address(es); phone number(s) where we may contact you (e.g., mobile, work, or home); name of law school, year of graduation, and year admitted to the bar.
Résumé: Your résumé must include announcement number (DE-11968809-23-LP), education, work experience, training, awards, and work experience. For each work experience listed, please include your job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, and starting and ending dates in "MM/YY" form. Please indicate whether we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your résumé to five pages; if more than five pages are submitted, only the first five pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about the Five-Page Résumé Limit.
Writing Sample: A writing sample demonstrating your legal analytical abilities must be submitted as part of your application package, for which you must be the principal author. It should not exceed ten double-spaced pages.
Transcript: If you have practiced law for fewer than five years, you must submit a copy of your law school transcript. Your transcript must include your grade-point average or class ranking, where available. If you have practiced law for five years or more, no transcript is required.
Bar Membership/Certificate of Good Standing: Submit a copy of your bar card, certificate of good standing, or other documentary evidence to prove that you are 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.
If you are a current or former federal employee: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 that provides, at a minimum, the effective date; name; grade; step; salary; position occupied; and tenure. Do not submit SF-50 for performance awards since these SF-50s do not provide the information needed to verify your eligibility.
If you are a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee: Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information about your most recent political appointment: position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency, and beginning and ending dates of appointment.
Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable): You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10-point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11968809 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/06/2023 to receive consideration.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
If you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, please contact the OPLA representative listed on this announcement.
Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/726245800. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.
The mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. ICE focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism, and combating the illegal movement of people and goods. ICE is the principal investigative arm of DHS and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Created in 2003, through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ICE has more than 20,000 employees in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world. ICE is a key component of the DHS layered approach to protecting our nation from a wide range of threats. For additional information about ICE and career opportunities, please visit www.ice.gov.
