- 26,000+ migrant minors lose government-funded legal representation
- Legal orientation clinics continue under strained Acacia Center contract
- Termination occurs days before March 29 renewal deadline
- 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Act compliance claims disputed
- Washington D.C. providers scramble to maintain partial services
The Trump administration has abruptly terminated critical legal support services for vulnerable migrant children navigating the U.S. immigration system alone. Health and Human Services officials canceled the Acacia Center for Justice contract three days before its scheduled renewal, stripping legal representation from over 26,000 unaccompanied minors annually. While mandatory know your rightsclinics continue, experts warn this creates a two-tier system where children receive basic information without meaningful courtroom advocacy.
Immigration attorneys report a 40% increase in deportation orders for self-represented minors since 2020, according to Syracuse University's TRAC data. The termination particularly impacts children from Central American crisis zones, where 68% lack English proficiency according to Migration Policy Institute reports. Amica Legal Services in Washington D.C. reports 90% of their juvenile clients required interpreter services during proceedings last fiscal year.
Industry analysis reveals three critical impacts: First, immigration court backlogs could grow by 18% as unrepresented children delay proceedings through continuance requests. Second, non-profit legal networks face $12M annual funding gaps according to National Immigration Legal Services estimates. Third, contract instability creates boom-bustcycles where providers hire/fire staff based on unpredictable federal decisions.
The Washington D.C. case study illustrates these challenges. Amica Legal Services director Michael Lukens reports losing 8 attorneys overnight, forcing 300 active cases into limbo. We're prioritizing children under 12 and trauma survivors,Lukens stated, but even these urgent cases now face 14-month waitlists.Regional shelters report 22% increases in mental health crises since the announcement.
Legal experts question HHS claims of continued Trafficking Victims Protection Act compliance. Georgetown Law professor Sarah Sherman-Stokes notes: The Act requires 'access to counsel' - not just pamphlets. This termination violates both the law's text and spirit.Department spokespersons maintain that orientation clinics satisfy statutory requirements, though they declined to explain how withdrawn attorneys align with child welfare mandates.
