Appeals Officer

U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Camp Springs (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

USCIS in Camp Springs, MD seeks an Appeals Officer to conduct thorough reviews of appeals, write detailed decisions, and adjudicate complex and sensitive matters within the administrative appellate authority.

Qualified candidates will have experience in immigration law, excellent written and oral communication, and a proven ability to manage deadlines, work independently, and maintain high standards under federal procedures.

Qualifications

• Experience conducting legal research on complex or novel issues of law or fact.
• Expertise applying immigration laws, regulations, precedents, and policy.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for appellate decisions and briefs.
• Ability to meet deadlines, manage diverse workload, work independently, and follow procedures.

Responsibilities

• Draft decisions for the Board of Immigration Appeals or related appellate authority.
• Adjudicate immigration benefit requests.
• Prepare and present policy or training materials to senior management.
• Maintain deadlines and follow established procedures.

Skills

Legal research

Immigration law knowledge

Written communication

Oral communication

Time management

Job description

Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud.

As an Appeals Officer, you will conduct thorough review of, write detailed decisions on, and adjudicate complicated and sensitive appeals, motions, and certifications within the jurisdiction of the USCIS administrative appellate authority.

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 09/14/2026.

Time in Grade does not apply to Delegated Examining Announcements, any reference to Time in Grade in the questionnaire will not apply to the rating and ranking of applicants.

Application Limit: This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received. All applications received prior to midnight 11:59 PM (ET) of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. If the application limit is not reached by the closing date of the announcement, all applications received during the open period will be considered. Any required documents must be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted past the day the application limit is reached, if applicable. If you choose to edit your application after it has been submitted, it will be removed from consideration until you re-submit your application. The date your application is last submitted will be used to determine whether you meet the cut-off criteria.

Selective Placement Factor: You must have experience working on immigration-related appeals and/or motions. This experience must be documented in your resume. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.

GS-14

You qualify at the GS-14 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the majority of the following duties:

• Experience conducting legal research on matters involving complex or novel issues of law or fact.
• Demonstrated expertise applying immigration laws, regulations, precedents, and policy by either 1) writing legal briefs in support of applications and petitions for immigration benefits or 2) adjudicating immigration benefit requests.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills (e.g. writing decisions for an appellate authority such as the Board of Immigration Appeals, writing legal briefs or motions relating to immigration litigation, drafting policy, briefing senior management, providing training or similar activities).
• Proven ability to meet deadlines, manage diverse workload, work independently, and follow established procedures and standards.

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