DOJ Halts Federally Funded Legal Aid for Immigrants in Court

The Trump administration's directive suspends programs assisting migrants in navigating immigration court proceedings, affecting millions of pending cases.

• The Department of Justice has ordered federally funded legal service providers to stop assisting immigrants in court proceedings, citing a new executive order from President Donald Trump.
• Programs impacted include the Legal Orientation Program, Immigration Court Helpdesk, Family Group Legal Orientation Program, and Counsel for Children Initiative, which have operated for years to aid migrants in understanding court processes and their rights.
• Advocates warn the suspension could leave hundreds of thousands of vulnerable migrants, including unaccompanied children and families, without legal guidance or representation in immigration courts.
• The decision comes as the immigration court backlog reaches a record 3.5 million cases, raising concerns about due process and the potential for migrants to face deportation without understanding their legal options.
• Critics argue the suspension undermines longstanding bipartisan-supported programs and could disproportionately harm those already facing significant hardships, while the administration defends the move as part of broader immigration enforcement policies.

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