Deputy Principal Legal Advisor for Legal Operations

About the role

The incumbent of this position is one of the senior executive assistants to the Principal Legal Advisor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on immigration and customs related legal activities, 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.

What you will do

• 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 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.
• OPLA serves as the principal legal representative for DHS/ICE in various forums, including representing DHS before the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) under 6 U.S.C. § 252(c).
• OPLA provides legal advice to ICE officers and agents in Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, and offers litigation support to U.S. Attorney's Offices and the DOJ Office of Immigration Litigation on federal court matters related to ICE operations.
• OPLA handles complex, high-profile immigration and customs enforcement issues that require creative legal solutions to balance national security and individual liberties.
• Additionally, OPLA represents DHS in Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Federal Labor Relations Authority hearings; provides ethics counsel; and manages commercial and administrative law matters.
• Headquartered in Washington, D.C., OPLA has nine regions nationwide, each led by a regional counsel, and maintains 143 office locations.
• The incumbent of this position oversees OPLA's nine Regions across 140+ offices nationwide.
• The preferred duty location for this position is Washington, DC.
• However, other duty stations may be considered as deemed appropriate by management with regular travel to Washington, DC.
• The duties of the Deputy Principal Legal Advisor for Legal Operations position include: Overseeing the provision of legal advice and assistance on matters concerning the enforcement of the nation's immigration and customs laws; overseeing the prosecution and litigation of cases before the EOIR Immigration Courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals in removal proceedings against aliens alleged to be in the United States in violation of the law; and overseeing the prosecution of criminal cases and the defense of civil cases before the U.S. District Courts and U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals by ICE attorneys.
• Providing guidance and support in connection with matters that may include highly controversial or sensitive issues, or previously undecided questions where adverse decisions could negatively affect ICE operations; overseeing the provision of crucial litigation support and advice to the DOJ U.S. Attorneys' Offices and OIL in the prosecution and defense of cases before the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States on matters related to the operations of DHS and ICE; and advising and representing ICE in special interest and other sensitive cases, including those involving terrorism, human rights violators, and national security matters.
• Assisting the Principal Legal Advisor (PLA) and Executive DPLA (EDPLA) in developing and planning legal operations and ensuring continuity of administration for the legal functions of ICE.
• This includes implementing the various strategic plans of DHS, ICE, and OPLA; directing legal activities in connection with highly significant problems; directing the provision of a full range of legal advice and services; participating in the development of ICE policies, directives, and procedures; and ensuring they are consistent with the intent of the law and are administratively sound, efficient, and economical in operation.
• Responding to Congressional inquiries; reviewing and analyzing proposed legislation and case law; preparing, reviewing, and approving official documents and letters for signature by the Director, Deputy Director, and other senior management officials; and attending conferences with, and as appropriate, rendering legal opinions to the Director, Deputy Director, Principal Legal Advisor, and other senior managers of ICE, senior officials of the Department and other government departments, and outside private sector organizations.
• Serving under the general direction of the PLA and EDPLA; performing duties with broad authority, which carries wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment.
• Other than on matters of unusual significance, decisions and judgments are not reviewed.
• Exercising sound judgment in determining whether particular matters should be brought to the attention of the PLA, EDPLA, or other senior officials.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited toward qualifications. Applicants' resumes and supporting documentation should reflect only education received from schools accredited by such institutions.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency, which is 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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications described above. Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your application package will be further reviewed to determine whether you possess the ECQs and TQs listed above.

The ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your 2-page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have their executive qualifications certified by the OPM SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment.

The selected individual's application will be forwarded to OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of noncompetitive status, such as current SES status, certification as a QRB-certified Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) graduate, or SES reinstatement eligibility.

Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, visit ***

Documents you must provide

• A complete application includes the items described below.
• Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit.
• Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
• PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION, AS SPECIFIED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, YOU MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION OR MAY NOT RECEIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR WHICH YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE.
• RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume LIMITED TO 2 PAGES, i.e., 1 double-sided page or 2 single-sided pages, with 1-inch margins at the top and bottom, 1/2-inch margins on the left and right, and a font NO SMALLER THAN 11 POINTS, showing all relevant experience.
• Applicants seeking initial career appointment to the SES must include evidence of the ECQs and TQs.
• Please DO NOT use the USAJOBS Resume Builder.
• Your resume should also include the following information: Your full name, email address, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers.
• Educational information, including the name, city, and state of each college or university you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received.
• If applicable, your current SES or Candidate Development Program (CDP) certification status, or your reinstatement eligibility to the SES and the dates you held a career SES appointment.
• Whether you are currently, or have been within the last five years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Noncareer SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch.
• Information about your paid and unpaid work experience related to this position, including job title, series and grade if it was a federal job, and starting and ending dates of employment by month and year.
• VACANCY QUESTION/ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES: Responses are automatically submitted through USAJOBS when you apply to this vacancy.
• ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation, if applicable: Current or former SES members must provide your 1) SES appointment Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) and 2) an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
• SESCDP graduates must provide verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) and OPM SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification.
• Current federal civil service employees must provide a copy of your SF-50 or equivalent personnel action form reflecting that you are a current federal civil service employee.
• You must possess a professional law degree, e.g., J.D. or 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.
• YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT SUPPORTS THE ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CLAIMS MADE IN YOUR RESUME AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE.
• DO NOT submit any documents that are not specifically requested in the vacancy announcement, including: Cover letters DD-214s, Statements of Service, or other veterans' preference documents Separate ECQ or TQ narratives, including prior ECQ/QRB packages or previous SES application materials A resume longer than the 2-page limit Certificates from leadership programs, executive development programs, or other training courses, unless specifically required Project management certifications or similar credentials Copies of award certificates, commendations, letters of appreciation, or similar documents Recommendation letters, endorsement letters, or reference letters, unless requested Policy papers, briefing memos, articles, reports, publication lists, or other writing samples Multiple performance plans, work plans, or performance standards; only the most recent performance appraisal is accepted Current or prior position descriptions Organizational charts Briefing decks, decision memoranda, reports, dashboards, budget materials, or other work products A separate list of references Schedule A or other disability-related hiring documentation Security clearance verification, investigation records, or related security documents Sensitive personal documents, i.e., birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, driver's licenses, marriage certificates, tax forms, or other personal identity documents Photographs or headshots Leadership philosophy statements, personal mission statements, or other supplemental statements

What to expect next

To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account at *** All of your applications will appear on theWelcome screen. The application status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.

For information on what each application status means, visit *** Once your online application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position.

After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Additional information

Duty Location: The incumbent of this position oversees OPLA's nine Regions across 140+ offices nationwide. The preferred duty location for this position is Washington, DC. However, other duty stations may be considered as deemed appropriate by management with regular travel to Washington, DC.

Relocation Expense Reimbursed: Relocation expenses may be authorized for this position. Approval is subject to management discretion and will be made in accordance with applicable law, regulation, and agency policy. Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.

OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations.

Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information.

Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see ***). Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement (see ***). Employment Information Resources - Resource Center (see ***).