The Trump administration recently announced a cessation of support for legal representation in immigration court for unaccompanied minors entering the United States, creating significant challenges for those facing deportation who lack the means to hire an attorney.
The Acacia Center for Justice, which operates under a federal contract, provides assistance to approximately 26,000 migrant children. However, the Interior Department provided no specific reason for the termination, merely indicating that the decision stemmed from “causes outside of your control” and clarifying that it should not be viewed as a criticism of the organization’s performance. This suspension will remain in effect until further notice.
Neither the Interior Department nor the Health and Human Services Department, which is responsible for managing unaccompanied minors, responded to inquiries regarding the situation as of late Tuesday.
The Acacia Center claims to facilitate legal aid through a collaborative network consisting of 85 organizations across the country, all dedicated to representing children under the age of 18. This sudden halt in support follows a recent situation where the Justice Department temporarily withdrew funding for other contracts that provided legal information and support to individuals confronting deportation. That funding was reinstated after advocacy groups filed a lawsuit.
While individuals facing deportation have the option to hire their own legal representation, the government does not allocate resources for this purpose. Organizations dependent on federal funding to represent children stated that this decision would adversely affect the most vulnerable individuals in the system, as they may struggle to secure adequate legal aid.
Christine Lin, who directs training and technical assistance at the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, expressed her concerns, stating, “It is absurd and deeply unjust to expect a child to represent themselves in immigration court.”
