Immigration Judge Job

Vacancy No. DE-12723203-25-HRD Department Executive Office for Immigration Review
Salary $159,951.00 to $207,500.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/10/2025 Close Date 4/24/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Eloy, AZConcord, CAImperial, CASan Diego, CA


Summary

****Please see announcement questionnaire for specific court locations****.

Conversion to permanent position is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a probationary period and appointment by the Attorney General.

Additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens or Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

This position is in the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Office of the Chief Immigration Judge. EOIR seeks highly qualified individuals to join our team of expert professionals who serve as immigration adjudicators in this important Agency. Immigration Judges work with a team that includes attorneys, legal assistants, and other support staff.

EOIR plays a pivotal role in the administration of the Nation's immigration system. EOIR's mission is to adjudicate immigration cases by fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation's immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and other administrative hearings.

EOIR consists of three adjudicatory components: the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, which is responsible for managing the numerous immigration courts located throughout the United States where immigration judges adjudicate individual cases; the Board of Immigration Appeals, which primarily conducts appellate reviews of the immigration judges' decisions; and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, which adjudicates immigration-related employment cases.

Immigration Judges preside in formal, quasi-judicial hearings. Proceedings before Immigration Judges include but are not limited to removal and bond adjudications, and involve issues of removability as well as applications for relief such as asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture, cancellation of removal, and adjustment of status.

Immigration Judges make decisions that are final, subject to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. In connection with these proceedings, Immigration Judges exercise certain discretionary powers as provided by law and are required to exercise independent judgment in reaching final decisions. Immigration Judges may be required to conduct hearings in penal institutions and other remote locations.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Employment is contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Security clearance may be required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
  • Moving and Relocation Expenses are not authorized.
  • Relevant experience (see qualifications below.)
  • Qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • You must file a financial disclosure statement in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Conversion to permanent position is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a probationary period and appointment by the Attorney General.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Immigration Judge position, applicants must meet all of the following minimum qualifications:
  • Education: Applicants must possess a LL.B., J.D., or LL.M. degree. (Provide the month and year in which you obtained your degree and the name of the College or University from which it was conferred/awarded.)
AND
  • Licensure: Applicants must be an active member of the bar, duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the U.S., or the District of Columbia. (Provide the month and year in which you obtained your first license and the State from which it was issued.)
AND
  • Experience: Applicants must have seven (7) years of post-bar admission experience as a licensed attorney preparing for, participating in, and/or appealing court or administrative agency proceedings at the Federal, State or local level. Qualifying trial experience involves cases in which a complaint was filed with a court or administrative agency, or a charging document (e.g., indictment, notice of violation, or information) was issued by a court, administrative entity, a grand jury, or appropriate military authority. Relevant administrative experience includes cases in which a formal procedure was initiated by a governmental administrative body.
NOTE: Qualifying experience is calculated only after bar admission.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your assessment questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Ensure that your resume contains your full name, address, phone number, email address, and employment information. Each position listed on your resume must include: From/To dates of employment (MM/YYYY-MM/YYYY or MM/YYYY to Present); agency/employer name; position title; Federal grade level(s) held, if applicable; hours, if less than full time; and duties performed. In addition, any experience on less than a full time basis must specify the percentage and length of time spent in performance of such duties.

Additional information

Additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

In addition to the minimum qualifications above, applicants must submit a Writing Sample, not to exceed ten (10) pages, demonstrating their ability to author legal documents and a document addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) in order to be considered for this position. Failure to submit these documents will result in your application package being removed from consideration. (See "How You Will Be Evaluated" section.)

There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to IJ appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in IJ hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must claim their status when completing their application in the online application process and attach supporting documentation. (See "Required Documents" section.)

Conditions of Employment: Only U.S. Citizens or Nationals are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ applicants, both U.S. citizens and non-citizens, whose job location is with the U.S., must meet the residency requirement. For a total of three (not necessarily consecutive years) of the five years immediately prior to applying for a position, the applicant must have: 1) resided in the U.S., 2) worked for the U.S. overseas in a Federal or military capacity; or 3) been a dependent of a Federal or military employee serving oversees.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications will be further evaluated to determine those who are best qualified. This determination will be based, in part, on the following Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs):

  1. Ability to demonstrate the appropriate temperament to serve as a judge.
  2. Knowledge of immigration laws and procedures.
  3. Litigation or adjudication experience, preferably in a high volume judicial or administrative context.
  4. Experience handling complex legal issues.
  5. Experience conducting administrative hearings or adjudicating administrative cases.
Applicants are required to address each of the five (5) QRFs in narrative form, to the best of the applicant's ability. A response stating only that the applicant does not have experience will not be considered as addressing the affected QRF. Applicants that do not have experience within a specific factor should instead discuss a similar skill/ability/knowledge/experience for evaluation. Failure to address each factor at this minimum level will result in an ineligible determination. The QRFs must be addressed on a separate document which indicates the number of the specific QRF you are addressing. Applicants should be thorough in addressing the QRFs. For example, applicants addressing QRF #3 (litigation or adjudication experience) should discuss the approximate number of cases or matters handled in a given period of time, the applicant's specific role (e.g. adjudicator, first chair, co-counsel, responsible for the written brief only, etc.), and the length of time involved in a given role (e.g. lead counsel in 20 immigration proceedings in 10 years). Applicants should also include specific examples of the types of cases (asylum application, plea, settlement, bench trial, jury trial, etc.), the number of court and administrative appearances made in those cases, and the case dispositions (ruling on the merits, plea or similar resolution, settlement, trial, jury trial, etc.) Conclusory statements (such as "the applicant has been involved in a substantial amount of litigation") without further elaboration will receive little or no weight in the evaluation of the QRFs.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/24/2025, the closing date of this announcement, which includes:

  1. Your Resume documenting seven (7) years of post-bar admission legal experience in litigation and/or administrative law; Cover Letter optional.
  2. A complete online Assessment Questionnaire.
  3. Document(s)addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs). (See "How You Will Be Evaluated" section.)
  4. Writing Sample demonstrating your ability to author legal documents.(One (1) document, not to exceed 10 pages.)
  5. Current or former Federal employees must provide copies of their most recent Performance Appraisal and their latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
  6. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable:
    • Veterans' Preference Documentation: Although the veterans' preference point system does not apply to this position, we accept preference claims and adjudicate such claims per the documentation provided. Note: If claiming 5-point veterans' preference, include a DD-214 or statement of service. If claiming 10-point veterans' preference, include an SF-15 and documentation required by that form, VA or military letter dated 1991 or later, and DD-214.
    • Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
Note: Ensure that your resume contains your full name, address, phone number, email address, and employment information. Each position listed on your resume must include: From/To dates of employment (MM/YYYY-MM/YYYY or MM/YYYY to Present); agency/employer name; position title; Federal grade level(s) held, if applicable; hours, if less than full time; and duties performed. In addition, any experience on less than a full time basis must specify the percentage and length of time spent in performance of such duties.

Failure to submit the documents listed above with your application package will result in your application package being removed from consideration.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/24/2025, the closing date of the announcement.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire which can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12723203 .
  • Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
  • To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Agency contact information

Immigration Judge Hiring Team
Address
Office of the Chief Immigration Judge
5107 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
US

Next steps

We will evaluate the qualifications and eligibility of all applicants, and then assess those who meet the minimum qualifications. All candidates who meet all the minimum requirements will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration. We will notify you of the final outcome after all of these steps have been completed.

Additional Locations

  • San Francisco Immigration Court San Francisco, CA
  • Hartford Immigration Court Hartford, CT
  • Miami Immigration Court Miami, FL
  • Orlando Immigration Court Orlando, FL
  • Atlanta Peachtree Immigration Court Atlanta, GA
  • Atlanta Ted Turner Immigration Court Atlanta, GA
  • Stewart Immigration Court Lumpkin, GA
  • Chicago Immigration Court Chicago, IL
  • Indianapolis Immigration Court Indianapolis, IN
  • LaSalle Immigration Court Jena, LA
  • New Orleans Immigration Court New Orleans, LA
  • Boston Immigration Court Boston, MA
  • Chelmsford Immigration Court Chelmsford, MA
  • Hyattsville Immigration Court Hyattsville, MD
  • Fort Snelling Immigration Court Fort Snelling, MN
  • Newark Immigration Court Newark, NJ
  • Las Vegas Immigration Court Las Vegas, NV
  • Buffalo Immigration Court Buffalo, NY
  • New York Broadway Immigration Court New York, NY
  • Memphis Immigration Court Memphis, TN
  • Dallas Immigration Court Dallas, TX
  • El Paso Immigration Court El Paso, TX
  • Harlingen Immigration Court Harlingen, TX
  • Houston S. Gessner Immigration Court Houston, TX
  • Houston, TX
  • Laredo Immigration Court Laredo, TX
  • Port Isabel Immigration Court Los Fresnos, TX
  • Pearsall Immigration Court Pearsall, TX
  • Richmond Immigration Court Richmond, VA


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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