Trump Administration Reverses Course and Restores Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

The Trump administration has reversed its decision to halt government-funded legal aid for unaccompanied immigrant children, just days after ordering legal service providers to cease their work. The Acacia Center for Justice and the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) confirmed the reinstatement of the program, which provides legal representation and education to thousands of minors navigating the immigration system alone.

"We welcome the news that the stop-work order on Acacia's Unaccompanied Children Program has been lifted," said Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice through a statement. She also added that:

"We will continue working alongside the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that these critical services upholding the basic due process rights of vulnerable children are fully restored and our partners in the legal field – legal lifelines safeguarding the rights and well-being of children seeking safety – can resume their work without future disruption or delay"

The administration's initial stop-work order, issued on February 19, came as a shock to nonprofit legal service providers assisting approximately 26,000 unaccompanied minors. Children who arrive at the U.S. border without parents or legal guardians are placed under the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) while efforts are made to locate sponsors.

The program, funded through a $200 million contract, supports legal representation for thousands of children and provides legal education to an additional 100,000. Many legal service providers continued representing children despite the order, citing ethical obligations and the risk of severe consequences for minors left to navigate the immigration system alone.

"I think in general what the administration is trying to do is create a climate of fear, to basically discourage people from doing what they're legally entitled to do—provide representation to immigrants, advise immigrants of their rights," said Joel Frost-Tift, Senior Supervising Attorney at Los Angeles pro bono firm Public Counsel, to The Latin Times when the stop order was issued. "They're trying to scare them into not doing those things. And we're not giving in to those fear tactics."

While the program's reinstatement is seen as a victory for due process rights, concerns remain about its long-term stability, as The Associated Press reports. The government has the discretion to renew or terminate the contract on an annual basis, with the next decision due in March. Legal advocates stress the importance of maintaining these services to ensure that unaccompanied minors are not left defenseless in immigration proceedings.