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Higher deportation risk for migrant children? Thousands in the US face an uncertain future; here's who could be affected
Migrant children in the US may face increased deportation risks as federal legal aid contract expires.
Thousands of migrant children living in the United States without a parent or legal guardian could face heightened deportation risks after a federal contract that funds legal representation expires, leaving uncertainty over who will assist them in immigration court from next week.
Immigration advocates warn that children currently relying on government-funded attorneys may be left without legal counsel as the Trump administration allows the agreement with legal service providers to lapse, as reported by the Associated Press.
The contract, administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), covers a nationwide network of nearly 100 nonprofit legal organizations that provide services to about 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children. Friday marked the final day of the agreement, and legal providers say they have received no indication of whether it will be renewed or replaced.
Why the contract matters
Under the program, attorneys are allowed to enter federally funded shelters housing unaccompanied migrant children, explain their legal rights, and represent them during immigration proceedings. Those services also include "Friend of the Court" assistance for children who appear before immigration judges without a lawyer.
As reported by AP, advocates say that without these services, many children may struggle to understand the complex immigration system or pursue legal protections that could allow them to remain in the United States.
Check if you may be at risk
The reported changes primarily affect unaccompanied migrant children—individuals who entered the US before turning 18 without a parent or legal guardian and whose immigration cases are still pending.
You may be affected if you:
- Entered the US as an unaccompanied minor.
- Are currently in removal or deportation proceedings before an immigration court.
- Receive legal assistance through a nonprofit funded under the federal legal services contract.
- Live in, or were previously housed in, an HHS-funded shelter while your immigration case was pending.
Children who already have privately retained attorneys or representation outside the federal contract may not be directly affected by the expiration, although advocates say broader disruptions could still strain legal services. According to the Associated Press report, it does not specify whether any replacement program will be introduced.
Existing protections remain in place
The expiration of the legal aid contract does not automatically change the legal protections available to unaccompanied migrant children.
Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, the federal government is required to facilitate legal representation for children in deportation proceedings. The law also generally requires children to be placed in the least restrictive setting possible, often allowing them to live with a sponsor while their immigration cases proceed.
Depending on their circumstances, they may still be eligible to apply for asylum or Special Immigrant Juvenile Status if they cannot safely return to their home country because of abuse, abandonment or neglect.
Legal groups warn of layoffs
The contract's expiration comes after months of financial strain for legal aid organizations, many of which say they have not been reimbursed by the federal government for more than six months. Several nonprofits have already begun laying off staff, reducing services and closing offices.
Mid-South Immigration Advocates, which represents more than 400 unaccompanied minors, says it is owed more than $500,000 in federal reimbursements and expects to shut down its law firm in the coming months if funding does not resume. ProBar, another major provider in Texas, has already laid off 20% of its workforce.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the contract was allowed to expire, according to the Associated Press.
(With inputs from AP)
