Ana Devereaux, a senior managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, voiced concern this week as the Trump administration appears to be targeting legal representation for children who arrived in the U.S. without a parent or guardian. Advocates warn that these children are at risk of losing their lawyers due to federal funding cuts and stalled reimbursements, which are making it increasingly difficult for legal organizations to continue their work.
A major federal contract that provided legal help to over 20,000 unaccompanied children is set to end on July 31. Advocates argue that the Trump administration has refused to reimburse organizations for $65 million in completed work since December. However, they are only willing to pay if the organizations hand over sensitive information, such as medical records and details of immigration cases. These demands have sparked fears among legal advocates.
A system in crisis: Courts and lawyers
Elizabeth Young, a former deputy chief immigration judge, highlighted the dire situation. She noted that children without legal representation win the right to remain in the U.S. less than 10% of the time. “When children are forced to navigate one of the most complex areas of law alone, that promise of fairness becomes little more than an illusion,” she said. Young added that these actions are not only harmful but undermine the core principle of due process that underpins the U.S. legal system.
Texas as a deportation hub
Federal officials are reportedly sending unaccompanied children in large numbers to Texas, a state where immigration courts and leaders align with the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies. Officials first turned to the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch ally of Trump, and later sought help from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, an entity focused on criminal defense, not immigration law.
Scott Ehlers, the Indigent Defense Commission's director, explained that the request from the administration likely violates his organization’s mandate. In the meantime, many Texas-based groups that support immigrant children are on the verge of financial collapse. The federal government has not reimbursed them for their work, as noted by Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, an organization that administers legal services for these children.
A field under financial pressure
Kids in Need of Defense, a prominent legal organization co-founded by Angelina Jolie and Microsoft, announced it would no longer participate in the program due to $20 million in unpaid invoices. Aber stated that the decision by such a respected organization illustrates the seriousness of the situation. “When groups of that caliber, with years of backing, struggle to stay afloat, it shows the depth of the problem,” she said.
Aber expressed concern about what this means for the children. “The damage is already being felt, and I expect to see hundreds of kids going to court alone,” she said. This shift could have serious consequences for the children, many of whom are fleeing dangerous situations.
Aber strongly criticized the administration's actions, calling them a betrayal.
Experts warn that the U.S. immigration system, which was designed to protect vulnerable children, is being transformed into a tool for mass deportation. The current administration’s approach risks violating the rights of these young individuals, who are often fleeing persecution, neglect, abuse, or other hardships.
Despite the recognition of these children’s vulnerability and the policies meant to protect them, the administration is prioritizing deportation over due process and care. This shift, according to advocates, undermines the promises of justice and fairness that the U.S. legal system is built upon.
As the financial pressures on legal organizations intensify and the contract with the major legal service provider nears its end, the outlook for these children continues to look bleak. Without legal representation, their chances of successfully remaining in the U.S. become almost nonexistent, and their cases are likely to be processed quickly and with little regard for their individual circumstances.