Children face higher threat of US deportation as legal support deal expires | Donald Trump News
Advocates Warn Expiration of Legal Contract Could Leave Thousands of Children Without Representation
July 31, 2026
Immigration advocates are raising alarms over the expiration of a federal contract that provides legal representation to unaccompanied minors who enter the United States without documentation. The agreement, which lapsed on Friday, affects approximately 24,000 children, raising concerns about potential increases in deportation rates.
“We have no understanding of what’s going to happen to those children come next week,” said Melissa Lopez, executive director of Estrella El Paso, at a news conference earlier this week. “We don’t know if they’re going to have legal representation.”
The expiring contract supported around 100 legal organizations nationwide that offered legal services and allowed these groups to enter government-funded shelters to meet with their young clients. The future of these arrangements remains uncertain, as the government has not indicated who, if anyone, will take over the provision of legal services.
The Trump administration has not publicly clarified the reasons behind the decision to let the contract expire. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the care of unaccompanied minors, did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press regarding its plans moving forward.
This change occurs amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to expedite deportation processes, which has raised ethical concerns among legal service providers. Several advocacy organizations reported that the administration has been withholding payments even before the contract expiration while demanding detailed information about their clients, a request that many providers consider unethical.
“They are clearly trying to destroy the program by undermining the financial stability of nonprofits,” said Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center. “We’ve seen layoffs and furloughs, and if these invoices aren’t paid, we will see a lot more of that.”
Legal protections for unaccompanied children include provisions in the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which mandates that the government facilitate legal representation for minors in deportation proceedings. In addition to seeking asylum, these children may also qualify for special protected status if returning to their home country poses a risk of abuse or neglect.
Democratic Representatives Chris Deluzio and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania sent a letter earlier this week to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Acting Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement Angie Salazar, asking for clarification on the implications of the contract expiration. The letter specifically requested information on how the government plans to comply with legal requirements to provide services to unaccompanied children.
In a statement, Lee emphasized, “Children, many of whom have fled violence and exploitation, should not be forced to appear in court alone without representation.”
