{"id":23083,"date":"2026-07-31T12:12:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T07:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=23083"},"modified":"2026-07-31T12:12:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T07:12:27","slug":"thousands-of-unaccompanied-migrant-children-could-lose-legal-representation-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=23083","title":{"rendered":"Thousands of unaccompanied migrant children could lose legal representation this week"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \">Thousands of unaccompanied <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/alerts\/Immigration\" dir=\"ltr\">migrant children<\/a> could lose legal representation as soon as Friday as the federal government contract for the nonprofit groups representing minors expires, advocates and immigration lawyers told ABC News.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The deadline comes as legal providers say the administration has withheld $65 million in overdue fees, alleging it is an attempt to force them to turn over confidential information about the migrant children they represent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In December 2023, the Acacia Center for Justice became the prime contract holder with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Unaccompanied Children Program, overseeing subcontracts with more than 100 service providers that give legal representation to over 20,000 unaccompanied migrant minors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">During the Trump administration, Acacia and many of its subcontracted groups have alleged that unaccompanied minors and their sponsors are among those being targeted under the government&#8217;s <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/Politics\/trumps-immigration-crackdown-ripples-us\/story?id=118742035\" dir=\"ltr\">immigration crackdown<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In June, DHS agents <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/US\/dhs-agents-visit-offices-legal-aid-organizations-assist\/story?id=133828340\" dir=\"ltr\">visited the offices<\/a> of several Washington, D.C.-area nonprofit groups that provide legal services to unaccompanied migrant children. Last year, ABC News reported that the administration was directing immigration agents to track down unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">A group of legal service providers filed an emergency motion last week in federal court to require the government &#8220;to comply with its obligations and resume unlawfully withheld payment for legal services required for unaccompanied children.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;Plaintiff organizations are already beginning furloughs and a fragile network of legal services organizations dedicated to serving unaccompanied children is on the brink of collapse &#8212; preventing Plaintiffs from taking on new representations, impeding them from retaining highly experienced staff and institutional memory, and even causing many children to lose their lawyers,&#8221; the groups said in their motion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1273ca1b-b4c6-4612-b50f-53fc215c0809\/minor-immigrants-gty-jt-260730_1785442938138_hpMain.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1273ca1b-b4c6-4612-b50f-53fc215c0809\/minor-immigrants-gty-jt-260730_1785442938138_hpMain.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1273ca1b-b4c6-4612-b50f-53fc215c0809\/minor-immigrants-gty-jt-260730_1785442938138_hpMain.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1273ca1b-b4c6-4612-b50f-53fc215c0809\/minor-immigrants-gty-jt-260730_1785442938138_hpMain.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PHOTO: In this Feb. 7, 2023, file photo, part of a group of 92 unaccompanied Guatemalan migrant minors who were deported from Mexico arrive to their country at the Air Force Base in Guatemala City. \" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1273ca1b-b4c6-4612-b50f-53fc215c0809\/minor-immigrants-gty-jt-260730_1785442938138_hpMain.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">In this Feb. 7, 2023, file photo, part of a group of 92 unaccompanied Guatemalan migrant minors who were deported from Mexico arrive to their country at the Air Force Base in Guatemala City. The minors were stopped in the border between Mexico and United States, according to reports from the Guatemalan State Migration Institute.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Johan Ordonez\/AFP via Getty Images, FILE<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">A federal judge scheduled a hearing for Aug. 6.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">A spokesperson with HHS told ABC News that its sub-agency, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), &#8220;offered Acacia the opportunity&#8221; to receive a new federal contract &#8220;based on requirements that include they provide the data on who they represent and that they bill [HHS] when they submit applications for immigration relief.&#8221; The HHS spokesperson said Acacia refused.<!-- -->\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In court filings, the legal services providers said that ORR is demanding &#8220;client-level data that is confidential and legally privileged.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Jennifer Podkul, the Chief of Global Policy and Advocacy for the group Kids in Need of Defense, one of the legal providers, said the organization is owed more than $25 million by the government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Podkul told ABC News that the group has burned through its reserves and is now preparing staff cuts, forcing them to decide which cases they can keep.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;This contract ends on July 31 &#8230; what if your client has an emergency on Saturday?&#8221; Podkul said. &#8220;What if they have an asylum hearing Monday morning? What do we do? Are we allowed to get into the facility and meet with our clients?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">According to court documents, Estrella del Paso, a legal service provider in Texas, said the organization faces closure after 40 years, having not been reimbursed for up to $765,000 in federal payments for services already provided.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The group said it has been unable to hire attorneys and was forced to stop offering representation to new unaccompanied minor clients.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC eTIW sUzSN \">&#8220;We have spent 20 years building this institutional knowledge that we are going to lose on Friday,&#8221; the group said in a statement. &#8220;There is no replacing the organizations providing these services. We know what happens to children that go to court without an attorney. In one word, it is deportation. The government is trying to eliminate our work and this program because they know that without attorneys, children will be deported.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thousands of unaccompanied migrant children could lose legal representation as soon as Friday as the federal government contract for the nonprofit groups representing minors expires, advocates and immigration lawyers told ABC News. The deadline comes as legal providers say the administration has withheld $65 million in overdue fees, alleging it is an attempt to force&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23084,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1273ca1b-b4c6-4612-b50f-53fc215c0809\/minor-immigrants-gty-jt-260730_1785442938138_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abc-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23083\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}