The Trump administration has made the decision to cease support for legal representation in immigration court for unaccompanied children entering the United States, posing a significant challenge for those facing deportation without the means to afford a lawyer. The Acacia Center for Justice, which serves approximately 26,000 migrant children under its federal contract, was informed of the stop-work order by the Interior Department. The reasoning behind this decision was not provided, with the group being told it was due to 'causes outside of your control' and not a reflection of their performance. The halt is currently in effect until further notice.
Both the Interior Department and the Health and Human Services Department, responsible for overseeing unaccompanied migrant children, have not responded to requests for comment regarding this development. Acacia operates the legal aid program through a network of 85 organizations across the country that offer representation to children under the age of 18.
This decision comes on the heels of the Justice Department briefly suspending support for other contracts aimed at providing legal information and guidance to individuals facing deportation, a move that was reversed following legal action from advocacy groups. While individuals fighting deportation have the option to hire their own attorneys at personal expense, the government does not provide legal representation. Organizations reliant on federal support to represent children have expressed concerns that the most vulnerable individuals will be disproportionately impacted by the decision to halt work on the $200 million contract.
Christine Lin, the director of training and technical assistance at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, emphasized the inherent challenges of expecting a child to represent themselves in immigration court, describing it as 'absurd and deeply unjust.'
