Trump Administration Ordered to Pay Legal Services for Unaccompanied Children

A federal judge in the Northern District of California ordered the Trump administration to release more than $65 million that had been withheld for legal representation of unaccompanied immigrant children. The court set a deadline of noon on August 7 for the Department of Health and Human Services to make the payments and required a report on continuity measures by August 13.

The order follows earlier preliminary rulings that blocked the administration’s attempt in March 2025 to end funding for the program, which is authorized under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. The contract that supported a national network of nearly 100 specialized providers expired on July 31 without renewal, leaving the future of the service uncertain. Organizations such as Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto and Immigrant Defenders Law Center continue to press for compliance and to protect the rights of the children.