DOJ 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 for legal battles against what one department official called "lawless jurisdictions."

New job postings show the bonuses target DOJ Civil Division components that handle immigration lawsuits and investigations into transgender medical treatments, two of President Donald Trump's top priorities. The postings highlight New York City, Raleigh, San Francisco and Dallas.

The Civil Division, the DOJ's largest unit under Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, defends White House policies in court amid hundreds of lawsuits. It faces scrutiny over employee departures and recruiting difficulties.

A DOJ official told Fox News Digital the effort shows no internal strain. Instead, it aims to "look broader by enticing attorneys around the country who may not have considered" a D.C.-based federal agency.

"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 noted that Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act provided millions of dollars to hire more attorneys for those efforts.

Blue states, civil rights groups and Democrats have filed lawsuits challenging Trump's moves to shrink the executive branch, curb illegal immigration, impose tariffs, bolster election security and restrict transgender policies. Lower courts have blocked many initiatives. The DOJ has appealed some rulings to the Supreme Court on an emergency basis and won about two dozen cases, a large share of those appeals.

Bloomberg Law reported the Civil Division also offers current lawyers biweekly bonuses up to $220 through Thanksgiving. The outlet said lawyers keep fleeing because they object to Trump's priorities, leaving the division desperate to retain talent.

The Financial Times reported more than a quarter of the DOJ's nearly 13,000 lawyers have quit or been fired since last year. The DOJ official blamed some exits on a "fork in the road" resignation option the Trump administration introduced last year to cut government size.

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

Shumate told Fox News Digital he is "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.