Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens or Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Applications will be reviewed on the following cut-off dates: January 8, 2026, February 9, 2026, March 9,2026, and April 9, 2026.

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. 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 over 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.

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.
• For Full time employment only - 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.)

• 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.)

• Experience: Applicants must possess qualifying post-licensure litigation or adjudication experience. Qualifying trial experience includes experience litigating 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, grand jury, or appropriate military authority. Qualifying experience conducting administrative hearings or adjudicating administrative cases includes relevant experience handling cases in which a formal procedure was initiated by a governmental administrative body.

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):

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/09/2026, the closing date of this announcement, which includes:

Next steps