Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
5d ago

Federal Judge Extends Nationwide Order Protecting Legal Aid for Migrant Children

Judge Martínez-Olguín's injunction blocks the Trump administration's attempt to terminate funding for attorneys representing unaccompanied minors in immigration courts, as Congress debates future appropriations.

Image
U.S. Border Patrol agents speak to an unaccompanied minor from Honduras, 4, after she crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico, in Roma, Texas, on Aug. 14, 2021.
Nick Wagner/Xinhua via Getty Images/uscourts.gov
Image

Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued a preliminary injunction requiring the continuation of taxpayer-funded legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children.
  • The Trump administration's efforts to terminate a $200 million legal aid contract with the Acacia Center for Justice were halted, citing violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008.
  • The administration has appealed the injunction and attempted to have the judge recuse herself due to alleged bias stemming from her previous work with immigrant advocacy groups.
  • A modified short-term contract was signed with the Acacia Center for Justice just before the injunction deadline, ensuring temporary funding for legal aid programs.
  • Congress is currently considering legislation that could eliminate funding for attorneys representing unaccompanied minors, raising concerns about the future of these protections.