A federal contract providing legal services to unaccompanied migrant children in the US is set to expire today, 31 July 2026. This means approximately 20,000 children across the country, including 1,300 in New York, will lose federally funded legal representation.
The $356m-a-year contract, overseen by the non-profit Acacia Center for Justice, has provided legal aid in accordance with a 2008 law requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure minors had legal representation in deportation proceedings.
Advocates have warned that the cessation of funding could lead to an increase in deportations of vulnerable children. This situation is compounded by immigration courts speeding up proceedings for unaccompanied children.