Children face higher threat of US deportation as legal support deal expires
A federal contract providing legal representation to 24,000 unaccompanied minors in the U.S. has expired, leaving these children at risk of deportation. The Trump administration has not clarified its plans for future legal support for these minors.
Why it matters
The loss of legal counsel significantly impacts the due process rights of vulnerable children within the U.S. immigration system.
Advocates warn expiring contract could leave 24,000 children without legal representation, increasing risk of expulsion.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Unaccompanied children hold hands as they cross the US-Mexico border in Roma, Texas [File: Gregory Bull/The Associated Press] By Al Jazeera Staff and AP Published On 31 Jul 2026 31 Jul 2026 Immigration advocates have warned that children who entered the United States without documentation or a legal guardian could soon lose their legal representation.
That could lead to higher rates of deportation as a federal contract providing the service expired on Friday.
“We have no understanding of what’s going to happen to those children come next week,” Melissa Lopez, the executive director of Estrella El Paso, said during a news conference earlier this week.
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