Associate Principal Legal Advisor for Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation

⁠​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠The incumbent of this position is one of two senior advisors to the Deputy Principal Legal Advisors for Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation on all matters related to criminal, customs, and immigration law enforcement authorities, as well as litigation, general, and administrative law matters. You must possess a professional law degree (e.g., J.D., LL.B.) acquired through graduation from an accredited School of Law and be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. You must submit documentation supporting that you meet this qualification when applying to this job opportunity announcement.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage. The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) protects the homeland by diligently litigating cases while adhering to the highest standards of professional conduct, providing timely and accurate legal advice, and optimizing resources to advance the missions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE. OPLA is the legal arm of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), providing mission-critical legal services, counsel, and training to support ICE initiatives and programs vital to protecting U.S. national security, public safety, and the integrity of the immigration system. OPLA is part of the Office of the General Counsel within DHS. The General Counsel, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves as the Department's chief legal officer and principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. As such, the General Counsel is responsible for all of the Department's legal determinations and for overseeing all of its attorneys.

The Associate Principal Legal Advisor (APLA) for Enforcement, General Law, and Litigation (EG&L) serves as the first-line supervisor to Division Counsel in either the enforcement-focused divisions (Homeland Security Investigations Law, Human Rights Violator Law, Immigration Law Practice, and National Security Law) or the administrative divisions (Commercial and Administrative Law, District Court Litigation, Enforcement and Removal Operations Law, and Government Information Law).

The duties of the position include:

• Leadership of attorneys and support staff, including direct supervision of attorneys and support staff advising ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and Management and Administration.
• Serving as agency counsel in federal civil litigation to which ICE is a party or ICE equities are implicated, or formulating legal strategies and developing ICE's positions in national security, human rights, and public safety matters before the nation's immigration courts, and overseeing its appellate practice before the Board of Immigration Appeals.
• Providing input and oversight, where appropriate, into the strategic planning for the ICE legal program, including through the collection and analysis of data and metrics.
• Directing the provision of a full range of legal advice and services, including participation in the development of ICE policies, directives, and procedures, and ensuring that they are consistent with the law and are administratively sound, efficient, and economical.
• Directing the preparation and review of official documents and letters for signature by the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Director and Deputy Director for ICE, and other senior management officials.
• Responding to congressional inquiries by reviewing and analyzing proposed legislation and applicable case law.
• Providing oversight for civil actions before the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Applying collective bargaining agreements in conformity with federal labor law.
• Planning and executing training programs for managers, attorneys, and support staff.
• Serving as the Acting Deputy Principal Legal Advisor for EG&L, representing the office in meetings with senior officials, and serving as liaison with external stakeholders, as appropriate.

The role requires the ability to develop and recommend courses of action to the ICE Director, as well as to explain and defend ICE programs and policies to DHS officials, other federal agencies, Congress, professional associations, and private sector leaders. The incumbent oversees legal advice and support on immigration law enforcement and provides critical litigation support to the Department of Justice in cases before federal courts related to DHS and ICE operations. Additional responsibilities may include advising agency leadership on government contracts, fiscal law, privacy law, and information disclosure.

The incumbent offers authoritative counsel on highly sensitive or unprecedented issues that could significantly impact ICE operations. The position demands adaptability and the ability to guide change within OPLA. By serving on panels and committees, the incumbent ensures legal issues are addressed in agency planning and policy development, and collaborates with the DHS General Counsel and ICE Principal Legal Advisor on office programs, representing them to ICE leadership, other agencies, and external stakeholders.

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the ECQs or TQs.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the TQs.

• TQ 1: Candidate must have experience that demonstrates (1) an expert knowledge of immigration law and procedures; contracts, fiscal law, privacy and information disclosure; or customs and criminal law; (2) a strong litigation background, particularly with regard to administrative immigration litigation or federal civil litigation; (3) service-minded leadership; (4) a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with operational elements in implementing, coordinating, and prosecuting enforcement initiatives; (5) a demonstrated ability to structure and lead major projects and initiatives, and to coordinate teams effectively; (6) a demonstrated ability to operate effectively during transition, and to master the changing structure and functions of a legal program; and (7) a demonstrated ability to work independently and decisively.
• TQ 2: Demonstrated management abilities involving both legal and logistical matters in an agency, law firm, or other organization. Candidates should have an ability to work with legal and policy professionals to evaluate and develop agency objectives, authorities and programs and have excellent legal writing skills that demonstrate clear and concise analysis.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the TQs listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
• ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
• ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
• ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
• ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in a U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)-approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50 or certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.