Legal Careers
AUSA (Immigration)
Wilmington, DE 19801 - United States
This is a TERM position not-to-exceed 4-years, subject to availability of funds. This position may be extended, or made permanent, without further advertising.
The District of Delaware comprises the entire state of Delaware, which has a population of slightly more than 1 million residents. The State consists of three counties (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). Three-fourths of the population resides in New Castle County. The largest metropolitan area is Wilmington (pop. approx. 75,000), in which the U.S. Attorney's Office is located. The office prosecutes federal crimes and represents the interests of the United States in civil cases. For additional information regarding the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Delaware, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/de
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware is seeking an attorney to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in the Criminal Division. The AUSA's responsibilities will primarily focus on representing the United States in criminal immigration actions brought by the United States. The AUSA will also be expected to work with the Office's Civil Division to represent the United States, its agencies, and employees in immigration-related litigation, including defending habeas corpus, mandamus, and Administrative Procedure Act challenges, and prosecuting affirmative civil immigration enforcement actions in federal district court.
The AUSA will also have the opportunity to represent the United States in non-immigration criminal matters commensurate with the AUSAs training and experience. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Required qualifications:
Applicants must have a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) and have at least 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
United States citizenship is required. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement and must reside in the district to which they are appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Preferred qualifications:
Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and wring skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, paralegals, support staff and client agencies. Applicants will be expected to do their own legal research and writing and will be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings.
This is a TERM position not-to-exceed 4-years, subject to availability of funds. This position may be extended, or made permanent, without further advertising.
Interested applicants should apply through USAJOBS
Link to USAJOBS Vacancy Announcement: 26-DE-12964942-AUSA
Questions can be directed to Mr. James Abrusci at (302) 573-6229 or james.abrusci@usdoj.gov
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined and is based, in part, on the number years of professional
attorney experience. The salary range of pay is $84,570 to $197,100 which includes locality pay.
Department Policies
The Department remains steadfast in its commitment to equal employment opportunity (EEO) and treating employees with fairness, dignity and compassion. We must ensure that no applicant for employment or employee of our Department is denied equal opportunity because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex – including pregnancy – or because of age, physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor and that all have the freedom to compete on a fair and level playing field. To learn more, please view the Department’s full Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/non-citizens). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee’s Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service- connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that their retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.