U.S. unaccompanied minors face immigration courts without legal counsel

Unaccompanied minors and their infants are appearing before U.S. immigration judges without legal representation, a situation advocates describe as a concerted government offensive against children. In Louisiana, a 17-year-old mother and her baby recently attended an asylum hearing without an attorney present.

The crisis stems from an attempt by the Trump administration to cut funding for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, an agency that supports a national network of organizations providing legal aid to minors in foster care or social services. Although a federal judge blocked the measure, government payments ceased regardless.

Additionally, the administration allowed the contract with the Acacia Center for Justice—which oversees approximately one hundred organizations—to expire. This occurred after the government attempted to condition public funding on the requirement that legal organizations share confidential information regarding the approximately 20,000 children they represent. Legal professionals refused to comply, citing ethical obligations to protect client confidentiality.