Clarification from the agency

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.

OPLA is the largest legal program in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employing over 3,000 attorneys nationwide. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., there are 143 offices located within nine Regions 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 aliens, terrorists, human rights violators, and other priority aliens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices.

OPLA attorneys provide 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 attorneys represent 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 ICE.

ICE's Office of the Principal Legal Advisor's (OPLA) Executive Communications Unit (ECU) is seeking one or more attorneys for a Counsel position in Washington, D.C. ECU primarily coordinates and processes the legal advice provided to ICE program offices and other stakeholders on a wide array of legal issues and Agency matters. Assignments within ECU are fast-paced and involve high-profile work. Key responsibilities include the following:

• Assess and manage the assignment and workflow of tasks issued by ICE Office of the Director, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the DHS Office of the General Counsel (OGC), OPLA leadership, and OPLA management officials often within short deadlines. Examples of tasks include requests for legal review; executive correspondence; agency responses to congressional and media inquiries; changes to proposed policies and rulemaking; senior leadership briefing materials; requests for legal opinions, and information related to ICE's immigration enforcement and other authorities; and requests for information related to OPLA's mission and areas of responsibilities.
• Manage specific portfolios, including general audits with the ICE Audit liaison Office and audits by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
• Coordinate responses to Congressional notices and updates, Congressional private bills, and Questions for the Record (QRF).
• Recommend and develop efficiencies in document management and tasking clearance procedures to include ensuring the consistency and quality of internal and external communications.
• Other special projects and initiatives as assigned by OPLA Leadership.

ECU's portfolio allows ECU attorneys the unique opportunity to work directly with other OPLA divisions and regional locations, a broad array of program offices within ICE, and other stakeholders both within and outside of DHS on high-profile matters. The work is fast-paced and requires the ability to: (1) work closely and diplomatically with attorneys and leadership in other OPLA divisions, and staff in other ICE program offices; (2) prioritize multiple assignments with competing deadlines; (3) efficiently exercise sound judgment and issue-spotting in a wide array of complex legal matters; (4) work effectively both independently and as part of a team; (5) take initiative in a reliable, decisive, and professional manner; (6) be detail-oriented, accurate, and accountable; and (7) quickly synthesize information and provide accurate and succinct summaries and briefings to OPLA management and senior leadership regarding complex taskings.

Conditions of employment

• You must successfully pass a background investigation and drug screen for federal employment.
• If you are a male born after 12/31/59, you must certify registration with the Selective Service.
• 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, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Qualifications

Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on 09/24/2026. Please note that 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 diverse 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 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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13050208 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 09/24/2026 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.

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.