24,000 unaccompanied migrant kids in US risk losing legal aid as contract ends
Over 24,000 unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. face a loss of legal representation due to the expiration of a federal contract. Nonprofits are struggling to continue services as the government has failed to reimburse millions in completed work.
Why it matters
The lack of legal counsel significantly increases the risk of deportation for vulnerable minors and raises concerns about due process and human rights.
More than 24,000 unaccompanied immigrant children facing deportation in the United States could lose access to legal representation after a federal contract funding nonprofit legal services expired on Friday, prompting warnings that thousands of vulnerable minors may be forced to navigate complex immigration proceedings alone.The contract's expiration affects about 90 nonprofit organisations across the country that provide legal assistance to children who entered the US without a parent or legal guardian.The crisis has been exacerbated by the Trump administration's refusal to reimburse legal service providers approximately $65 million for work they say has already been completed under the federal programme.Nonprofits warn children will lose critical legal supportAccording to Los Angeles Times, Lindsay Toczylowski, chief executive officer and co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, said more than 1,500 unaccompanied children represented by her organisation in the Greater Los Angeles area could be affected.Other Los Angeles-based organisations expected to feel the…
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