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Approximately 26,000 unaccompanied migrant children will lose federal legal representation as the administration allows a major contract to expire.

The administration announced that approximately 26,000 unaccompanied migrant children across the United States will lose independent legal representation as the federal government allows a multi-million-dollar annual contract to expire on July 31. The contract, managed by the Acacia Center for Justice, provides legal services for children who entered the U.S. without parents or guardians. The administration withheld $65 million in overdue fees because the legal providers declined to share confidential, attorney-client privileged information. Advocates warn that without lawyers, children may be railroaded into voluntary departure or deportation, as they often struggle to navigate the complex immigration process alone. While the Office of Refugee Resettlement remains compliant with its obligations, the Acacia Center for Justice stated that the government is withholding payment for work already performed to extract data it has no right to. Some legal providers have already begun staff cuts due to the funding gap. A federal judge has scheduled a hearing for August 6 to address the withheld payments and the future of the legal services network.

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