Join a dynamic team of enforcement attorneys providing fast-paced legal advice and guidance to law enforcement clients at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) Homeland Security Investigations Law Division (HSILD) as an Associate Legal Advisor (ALA) and leverage your legal experience to protect the homeland.
Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on 01/12/2026. Please note that qualification claims will be subject to verification. In light of the nature of HSILD's work, attorney assignments are fast-paced, high-profile, and need to be addressed in real-time. The attorneys selected in response to this announcement will be given significant responsibilities on an immediate basis. Selectees must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities, characteristics, and competencies: adept at prioritizing multiple assignments, exercising sound legal and practical judgment, efficiently producing quality legal analyses of complex and novel legal issues, and working effectively in a fast-paced environment both individually and as part of a team. Applicants should also demonstrate the ability to take initiative and work in a reliable, decisive, and professional manner. 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. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 C.F.R. § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.
OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing nearly 2,000 attorneys nationwide. OPLA provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices and serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Selected attorneys will fill the ALA position and primarily serve as agency counsel to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the headquarters level by representing agency interests in support of HSI's dynamic mission by providing guidance on variety of law enforcement authorities. ALAs work closely with the DHS Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Headquarters, other DHS component legal offices, and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entities, such as U.S. Attorney's Offices throughout the nation. HSILD ALAs provide cutting edge customs law, criminal law, and criminal immigration law advice to DHS, ICE, and OPLA leadership. This includes advising on financial crimes, asset forfeiture, the repatriation of cultural property, confidential informants and undercover operations, customs fraud, intellectual property rights, cybercrime, child exploitation, export enforcement, intelligence, identity and benefit fraud, contraband smuggling, gangs, search and seizure issues, and worksite enforcement matters. HSILD interprets and defends HSI's unique authorities; reviews national policies, novel issues, and matters of national importance; drafts proposed legislation; liaises with other law enforcement agencies; and provides advanced training to the dedicated men and women of HSI on the front lines of criminal and immigration enforcement. HSILD provides direct support to ICE law enforcement personnel and ensures consistent nationwide legal and operational advice on these matters through coordination with OPLA Field Locations. The selected attorney(s) will be given significant responsibilities immediately and will be expected to research and craft persuasive, legally supportable positions to address the needs of agency operational components. Timely oral and written guidance will be routinely provided to ICE officers and agents, division management, and senior leadership within OPLA, ICE, and the DHS OGC by the selected attorney(s).