More than 24,000 immigrant children who entered the United States without a parent or guardian may soon lose access to legal representation as a federal contract funding nonprofit legal services is set to expire this week. The contract, overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), supports approximately 90 organizations nationwide that provide legal counsel to unaccompanied minors facing deportation. Its expiration on Friday threatens to force many groups to reduce or end their services, leaving children to navigate complex immigration proceedings without legal assistance.
Legal providers, many of whom have not been reimbursed for tens of millions of dollars in services rendered, warn this development could severely impact some of the country’s most vulnerable migrants. These children, who often do not speak English and face intricate legal systems, rely heavily on attorneys for due process and protection from exploitation, abuse, and trafficking. Many organizations have spent months covering costs without federal payment, with some owed up to $65 million.
Advocates highlight the critical role lawyers play beyond courtroom representation, including uncovering abuse in detention facilities, documenting conditions, and filing petitions to reunite separated children with family members. For example, the Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles, which serves over 1,500 children across 13 facilities, expressed concern about the loss of counsel for trafficking victims and asylum seekers. Similarly, Estrella del Paso, a nonprofit serving west Texas and New Mexico, faces significant cutbacks due to over $1 million in unpaid federal invoices, with plans to reduce its staff drastically.
The legal services program operates under a 2008 federal law—the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act—that mandates funding to ensure unaccompanied minors have legal aid. While Congress appropriated around $5 billion to support the program through 2027, disputes with the Trump administration have complicated its implementation. In November 2025, the administration ceased reimbursing providers and sought client information that nonprofits say would violate attorney-client privilege and potentially put families at risk during immigration enforcement.
The Acacia Center for Justice, which holds the federal contract and subcontracts with many legal service providers, along with a coalition of nonprofits, filed a class-action lawsuit alleging the administration’s actions violate the law. A federal judge ordered the contract reinstated last year, and it has since been extended, but the impending expiration looms. The nonprofit coalition is scheduled to appear in court next week to address ongoing disputes.
Officials from the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) stated that the agency remains compliant with legal obligations and offered to renew the contract contingent on the sharing of client information, a condition opposed by providers. The ORR emphasized that it does not seek to discourage children from pursuing legal relief.
Supporters of the program include lawmakers and legal experts who have called for legislation to guarantee unaccompanied children’s right to counsel in immigration proceedings. U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren reintroduced the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, emphasizing the challenges faced by young migrants who often appear in court alone. Meanwhile, a letter signed by former and current prosecutors urged federal leaders to address the potential gap in legal services before the program ends.
As the deadline approaches, provider organizations warn of further layoffs and diminished capacity to protect immigrant children’s rights, underscoring the broader concerns about due process and government accountability in the immigration system.