The Trump administration has halted funding for a program that provides legal representation to tens of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children, according to a memo issued Friday by the Interior Department, which manages contracts for the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
The memo, obtained by ABC News, informs organizations receiving over $200 million in federal grants that their contracts have been partially terminated. This decision effectively ends funding for legal representation and attorney recruitment for migrant children.
The only remaining support from the contract will be for “Know Your Rights” informational sessions, which are presented to unaccompanied children in detention centers.
Government Justification and Impact
“The government reserves the right to terminate this contract, or any part hereof, for its sole convenience,” the memo states. “In the event of such termination, the Contractor shall immediately stop all work hereunder and shall immediately cause any and all of its suppliers and subcontractors to cease work.”
Currently, 26,000 migrant children receive legal representation through this funding.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Office of Refugee Resettlement, did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
Last month, the administration issued a similar memo directing organizations to halt work on the $200 million contract, but it later rescinded the order.
The Legal Struggle for Unaccompanied Minors
Thousands of unaccompanied children are already navigating immigration court without legal representation due to a shortage of attorneys. In 2023, only 56% of unaccompanied minors in immigration court had legal counsel, according to Department of Justice data.
Legal experts emphasize that having an attorney can make the difference between a child being allowed to stay in the U.S. or being sent back to their home country.
Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center, which represents migrant children in Washington, D.C., called the funding cut “unlawful.”
“It is particularly cruel to make children go to court alone, and it is a continuing expansion of Trump’s war against immigrants,” Lukens said. “And it’s sad that we’re now at a point where he has set his sights on children.”
