Justice Department Offers Up to $25,000 Signing Bonuses to Recruit Lawyers for Immigration and Transgender Cases

The Department of Justice is offering signing bonuses of up to $25,000 to recruit lawyers across the country. New job postings highlight New York City, Raleigh, San Francisco and Dallas for positions in the DOJ Civil Division components that handle immigration lawsuits and investigations into transgender medical treatments. -based federal agency.

A DOJ official told Fox News Digital that the effort is a way for the department to look broader by enticing attorneys around the country. "The Department is expanding resources across the country to combat lawless jurisdictions and nationwide injunctions, and there is a need to attract candidates from those new areas," the official said.

The official added that Trump's signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave the DOJ millions of dollars to hire more attorneys specifically for those efforts.

The Civil Division is the DOJ's most expansive division and is led by Brett Shumate. It is defending the White House in hundreds of lawsuits. More than a quarter of the DOJ's nearly 13,000 lawyers have quit or been fired since the beginning of last year.

The Trump administration rolled out a "fork in the road" resignation option last year with the stated goal of reducing the size of government. A DOJ official told Fox News Digital that the departures were partly attributable to employees taking the resignation option.

"This has allowed DOJ to run more efficiently and hire new employees who wholeheartedly believe in the work they’re doing," the official said.

The Civil Division has been offering new biweekly bonuses up to $220 through Thanksgiving to current lawyers. Fox News reported that the incentives aim to retain staff amid the turnover. Assistant Attorney General Shumate said he was always looking for talented and qualified attorneys to advance President Trump's priorities and protect the American people.

"The Civil Division will continue to hire hardworking patriots from across the country and offer appreciation bonuses to our loyal attorneys who remain committed to our mission and upholding the rule of law," Shumate said. , on June 27, 2025. U.S.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brett A. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. U.S. , on April 13, 2018. Fox News reported that the recruitment comes as the department faces pressure to sustain its legal defense strategy in the face of lawsuits from blue states, civil rights groups and Democrats challenging Trump administration policies on immigration, tariffs, election security and transgender issues.