Chief Administrative Law Judge

Overview

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

A Structured Interview process will be used in the recruitment of this position.

The Chief Administrative Law Judge (Chief ALJ) manages the workload and adjudicatory hearings process relative to employer sanctions, immigration-related unfair employment practices, and immigration-related document fraud cases which may include developing and disseminating policy and providing oversight between all the levels of administrative law judges. The Chief ALJ also acts as a presiding officer with respect to proceedings, presiding over hearings, writing opinions and making decisions, and performing ancillary duties.

Hearings range from conducting prehearing conferences to simplify the issues in the case to conducting formal hearings on the record in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Administrative Procedure Act, and the rules of practice promulgated by the agency.

As a presiding officer, the Chief ALJ determines who is entitled to participate and to what extent; admits evidence into the record or rejects proffered documents and oral testimony; and considers proposed findings and conclusions and briefs submitted by the parties.

The Chief ALJ issues initial decisions and orders in adjudicatory proceedings which become final decisions of the Department of Justice unless administratively reviewed or appealed to the appropriate United States Court of Appeals. Final orders are issued following settlement by the parties, after hearing, pursuant to dispositive motions, or upon waiver of a hearing. As a judge under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Chief ALJ provides a complete formal record of the hearing and issues formal written opinions.

The Chief ALJ also performs a range of supervisory duties including overseeing day-to-day operations of the ALJs and ALJ unit support staff; hiring and monitoring of staff performance and determination of performance goals and/or benchmarks consistent with applicable laws, regulations and operational needs; identifying training; and initiating award recommendations and corrective actions as needed.

In addition to performing the duties described above, the Chief ALJ is also qualified to conduct, and may be assigned to conduct the following proceedings as an immigration judge: removal, discretionary relief, rescission of adjustment status, claims of persecution, stays of removal, and bond and detention. In accordance with section 101(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act), the incumbent is an attorney appointed by the Attorney General as an administrative judge who is qualified to conduct specified classes of proceedings, including removal proceedings under section 240 of the Act, and to preside at formal, quasi-judicial hearings to determine the issues arising in exclusion, deportation, and related proceedings.

As such, the ALJ must have expert knowledge in immigration and employment law, including the relevant statutes and regulations, precedential decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, and decisions of Circuit Courts.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Employment is contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation.
• Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
• Relevant experience (see qualifications below.)
• Qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
• If selected, you must file a financial disclosure statement in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
• You must receive your Federal salary 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.
• Moving and Relocation Expense are not authorized.