Trump admin ends legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children facing deportation
ICE carries out immigration raids across nation
A U.S. Air Force jet deported 80 migrants shackled at their wrists and ankles to Guatemala on Thursday, detouring around Mexican airspace because U.S. military overflights require more advance notice than the Trump administration can give as it rapidly accelerates deportations.
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration has halted funding for legal representation of unaccompanied migrant children, leaving thousands of minors to navigate immigration court without an attorney, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
The Interior Department issued a stop-work order to the Acacia Center for Justice, which manages the program through a network of 85 organizations nationwide. Acacia says it serves 26,000 children under the $200 million federal contract.
The department did not provide a specific reason for the halt, saying only that it was due to "causes outside of your control" and did not reflect poor performance. The pause remains in effect until further notice.
What this means for migrant children
The backstory:
Under U.S. law, immigrants facing deportation are not entitled to government-appointed attorneys. While adults may seek legal representation at their own expense, unaccompanied minors often rely on government-funded programs to access legal aid.
With funding now suspended, thousands of children could be forced to represent themselves in complex immigration proceedings.
A US Customs and Border Protection officer gives food to an immigrant child waiting to be processed at a US Border Patrol transit center after crossing the border from Mexico at Eagle Pass, Texas on December 22, 2023. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
"Expecting a child to represent themself in immigration court is absurd and deeply unjust," said Christine Lin, director of training and technical assistance at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies.
A broader crackdown on immigration aid
Big picture view:
The decision comes weeks after the Justice Department briefly paused funding for programs providing legal information to immigrants facing deportation. That funding was later restored after legal challenges from advocacy groups.
The Interior Department and Health and Human Services Department, which oversees unaccompanied migrant children, did not respond to requests for comment on the latest decision.
What's next:
It remains unclear if or when the legal aid program will resume.
In the meantime, immigrant advocacy groups are expected to challenge the decision and push for alternative funding sources to support legal representation for children facing deportation.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Associated Press and statements from legal advocacy organizations.