U.S. Immigration Enforcement Surge Detains Up to 40 Migrants Daily and Threatens Legal Aid for 20,000 Unaccompanied Kids

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has intensified airport operations, detaining as many as 40 migrants in a single day at more than 15 airports, including LAX and SFO. The daily arrests have risen from an average of 10 in May 2025 to 20‑40, following a new cooperation agreement between the Transportation Security Administration and ICE. The Coalition for Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) warned travelers with pending residency or asylum cases to seek legal counsel, noting a pattern of stops on domestic flights.

At the same time, the Trump administration allowed a federal contract that funded nearly 100 legal‑aid organizations to expire, ending support for the representation of roughly 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children in federal shelters. Without the contract, NGOs fear they will lose access to the children, increasing the risk of deportations. Melissa López, executive director of Estrella El Paso, said the agencies have no clarity on who will assume the legal‑aid role after the lapse.

Both developments raise concerns about heightened enforcement and reduced protections for vulnerable migrants entering the United States.