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Trump Administration Reverses Halt on Legal Aid for Migrant Children

The stop-work order for federally funded legal services was rescinded three days after it was issued, restoring critical representation for unaccompanied minors.

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Unaccompanied minors wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the U.S.-Mexico border on April 10, 2021 in La Joya, Texas.
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Overview

  • The Trump administration issued and then rescinded a stop-work order cutting off funding for legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children within three days.
  • The Acacia Center for Justice, which provides legal representation to over 26,000 migrant children, confirmed it can now resume its services immediately.
  • Advocacy groups and legal aid organizations criticized the initial order as harmful, emphasizing the vulnerability of children navigating the immigration system without representation.
  • Public pressure played a significant role in the reversal, with over 15,000 letters sent to Congress urging the restoration of services.
  • The incident highlights ongoing uncertainty about the future of federal support for unaccompanied minors, as current contracts are set to expire next month.