Assistant United States Attorney (Appellate)
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Posted: January 14, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Department of Justice
Location
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Salary
$120,086 - $195,100
per year
Type
Closes
This job involves working as a lawyer for the U.S.
government in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, handling immigration-related court cases, mostly defending against challenges to immigration decisions and sometimes pursuing fraud cases.
It requires managing a busy workload of legal tasks like writing briefs, negotiating settlements, and arguing in court.
A good fit would be someone with at least a year of legal experience who is organized, quick on their feet, and passionate about immigration law.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL) is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) handling a docket of immigration cases in the Office's Civil Division.
Our District has offices located in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. When applying, please note in your cover letter which office location you are interested in.
Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess 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. Preferred Qualifications: For the Civil Immigration position, preferred applicants will have at least 1 year of post J.D.
litigation experience and the organizational ability to handle a large caseload You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Major Duties:
AUSAs handling civil immigration cases are responsible for a docket of immigration work that is generally defensive in nature.
Examples of defensive work include habeas corpus challenges to immigration detention, Administrative Procedure Act challenges to denials of immigration benefits, actions for declaratory or injunctive relief, mandamus actions, and constitutional claims.
The Office also investigates and litigates affirmative immigration cases, including denaturalization actions and immigration-related fraud.
This position will require a range of skills and abilities, including managing a high-volume docket; researching case law and drafting complex briefs, often on expedited deadlines; interacting with agency clients and opposing counsel; and involvement in all aspects of federal court practice, including motions, managing discovery, negotiated settlements, and appearing and arguing before the District Court and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
The AUSA may also be assigned other types of matters as the Office's needs require. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing.
In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C.
545 for district-specific information.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
See www.sss.gov.
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