The Trump administration has recently terminated a vital federal contract that provided legal services to approximately 26,000 unaccompanied migrant children in the United States, specifically those who entered without a parent or guardian. This decision has raised significant alarms among immigration advocates and legal experts concerning the well-being and safety of these minors.

Legal Representation and Its Importance

The terminated contract facilitated funding for attorneys who represented these children in immigration court, crucial for navigating the complexities of U.S. immigration laws. The decision particularly impacts minors in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, including roughly 4,000 children residing in California.

Joel Frost-Tift, an immigration attorney at Public Counsel, emphasized the adverse consequences of losing this representation, stating, “Immigrants are five to six times more likely to succeed in their case if they’re represented by an attorney.” The absence of legal support is predicted to leave these children vulnerable to expedited deportation.

Current State of Legal Aid Organizations

Public Counsel, which provides representation for around 200 unaccompanied children in Southern California, has expressed immediate concern over the funding cut. Although attorneys will strive to assist their clients as much as possible, the future of these efforts remains uncertain without renewed funding.

More than 100 legal aid organizations across the United States are similarly affected by this sudden termination, which was due for renewal on March 29.

Advocacy and Responses from Legal Experts

Advocates are urging the administration to reverse this decision. Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, pointed out that “the administration’s decision to end these services undermines due process, disproportionately impacts vulnerable children” who have already endured severe trauma. The Acacia Center, which receives around $200 million in federal funding annually, noted that while they can continue offering free legal clinics to educate children about their rights, they must cease covering the costs for legal representation.

Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, echoed concerns regarding the implications of this funding cut, stating that it “severs key lines of communication and coordination between vulnerable unaccompanied children and the institutions in place to ensure their protection.”

The Consequences of Lack of Representation

In the immigration court system, unlike criminal proceedings, there is no constitutional right to an attorney. Children can potentially avoid deportation by demonstrating certain conditions qualify them for special immigrant juvenile status, such as evidence of being a crime victim or experiencing abandonment and abuse. However, securing this status is exceptionally challenging without legal assistance.

Data from a report by the American Immigration Council indicates that children with legal representation attend their hearings approximately 95% of the time, in stark contrast to the 33% attendance rate among those without an attorney. The lack of adequate representation has already led to thousands of children being deported due to missed hearings, with recent directives from the Trump administration pushing for the tracking and deportation of unaccompanied minors.