Trump administration halts support for representing unaccompanied children in immigration court

The Trump administration has stopped support for legal representation in immigration court for children who enter the United States alone. This decision affects those facing deportation who cannot afford a lawyer. The Acacia Center for Justice said it serves 26,000 migrant children under its federal contract. The Interior Department gave no explanation for the stop-work order, telling the group only that it was done for “causes outside of your control” and should not be



interpreted as a judgment of poor performance. The halt remains in effect until further notice.

The Interior and Health Departments have not responded to requests for comment. Acacia runs its legal aid program through a network of 85 organizations nationwide.

People fighting deportation may hire attorneys at their own expense but the government does not provide them.