The Trump administration has suspended a program that provided legal assistance to nearly 26,000 immigrant children under the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Many of these children, some too young to read or speak, are now facing deportation without legal representation.
The program, coordinated by the Acacia Center for Justice, was halted after the Interior Department ordered the organization to “stop work,” citing contracting rules without offering clear reasons for the suspension. Approximately 4,000 of the affected children reside in California, with many lacking parents or legal guardians in the United States.
“You have these kids who are thrust into this adult-like situation with very severe consequences,” said Jennifer Podkul, vice president for policy and advocacy at Kids In Need of Defense. She highlighted that only about 50 percent of children have legal representation in immigration court.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 stipulates that the government should facilitate legal representation for unaccompanied minors in deportation proceedings, although it does not mandate that every child receive a lawyer. Without legal aid, experts warn that children could become stuck in the system or disappear, leading to unprocessed cases.
Melissa L. Lopez, executive director of Texas-based Estrella del Paso, emphasized the organization’s commitment to continue supporting the estimated 2,000 children they represent. “We will do what is best for our clients,” Lopez affirmed. However, she noted that her organization has been barred from providing legal presentations in shelters to inform children of their rights. “They will be expected to go to court alone and uninformed,” she added.
