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The administration announced a $150 million contract to the Burke Law Group to represent unaccompanied migrant children.

The administration announced a $150 million contract to the Burke Law Group, a Houston-based law firm, to provide legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children in government-run shelters. The contract, which begins August 15, replaces a network of nearly 100 legal aid providers whose contract expired recently. While the Burke Law Group has ties to the administration, legal aid advocates warn that the firm has limited experience in immigration law, with only two of its 24 attorneys specializing in the field. Advocates expressed concern that the move could leave children vulnerable to deportation without meaningful due process. The administration also faces criticism for withholding payments to previous providers, who claim the government owes them millions in back pay. The new contract is a single-source agreement, meaning the administration picked the firm without a competitive bidding process. The Burke Law Group will represent approximately 1,800 children currently in shelters, while the status of the nearly 22,000 children living outside the shelter system remains to be determined.

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