Expiration of Federal Contract Leaves More Than 20,000 Unaccompanied Children at Risk of Losing Legal Counsel
The Door urges the administration to renew congressionally-funded legal services and release outstanding payments to providers.
The expiration of the federal contract funding legal representation for unaccompanied children has left more than 20,000 children at risk of losing access to legal counsel as they navigate the immigration system. The administration allowed the contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, which is implemented by numerous partners including The Door, to expire on July 31.
The end of this contract comes after the administration has refused to pay the nearly 100 legal service providers for work already completed – including nearly $2m owed to The Door. Combined, these two actions effectively dismantle a program that has helped ensure children could access legal representation in immigration proceedings for nearly 20 years.
Without continued funding, thousands of children who fled violence, trafficking, abuse, and persecution could lose access to the attorneys who help them understand their rights, prepare their cases, and present them before an immigration judge. Without a lawyer, children win the right to remain in the United States less than 10% of the time.
“At The Door, we believe every young person deserves safety, dignity, and a fair chance to build a future,” said Chief Executive Officer Kelsey Louie. “As the challenges facing immigrant children continue to grow, access to legal representation is one of the most important safeguards. It protects them from deportation, exploitation, and further harm. For months, we and other organizations have continued this lifesaving work without payment, stretching already strained resources because abandoning these young people was never an option. Allowing this program to lapse leaves thousands of vulnerable children without the support they need to understand their rights and navigate an extraordinarily complex legal system. In this moment, we should be strengthening their access to justice, not weakening it.”
The Door calls on the administration to immediately restore its contract with the Acacia Center, release outstanding payments owed to legal service providers, and continue the longstanding bipartisan commitment to ensuring unaccompanied children have access to legal representation.