The Trump administration resumed a program on Friday to fund lawyers representing unaccompanied minors in immigration courts, A few days after the stop There is little explanation.
“This letter cancels the cessation of work order issued on February 18, 2025,” a memorandum of the Acacia Justice Center, which signed a contract to manage the national program.
The program provides legal representation for about 26,000 children, some too young to read or speak. Many of these children survived abuse, persecution or trafficking and were detained by the Refugee Resettlement Office. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the agency, did not respond to a request for comment.
In California, the program represents about 4,000 children without legal guardians.
“We welcome news,” said Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Justice Center. “We will continue to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that these critical services maintain basic due process rights for vulnerable children, and that our partners in the legal field – legal lifespan safeguards children’s rights and well-being seek safety – can be restored Their work will not be carried out in the event of future disruption or delays.”
The decision comes after supporters flooded the letter of support to members of Congress.
But advocates fear that the plan may eventually lose funds because the government Continue to strip Support for immigrants in countries without status.
President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to distinguish undocumented immigrants from any federal benefits. The order directs the Government Efficiency and Management and Budget Office to determine in the next 30 days of federal funding that it is illegal to spend here.
Although children in the immigration system do have the right to attorneys, they do not have the right designated by the court.
Lovesickness Discovery Since 2017 About 57% of children in pending cases have legal representation, a figure that has begun in previous years.
