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Trump Administration to Assign Government Lawyers to Migrant Kids’ Cases, Worrying Advocates
Critics say the move could leave 24,000 cases without independent counsel as HHS shifts child immigration defense inside the agency.
- The Trump administration announced last week the creation of an in-house legal team within the Health and Human Services Department to provide direct legal advice and counsel to unaccompanied migrant children through the Unaccompanied Alien Children Legal Representation Division.
- This decision follows the administration cutting ties with the Acacia Center, which managed 24,000 cases through a vast network of legal service providers. The government recently awarded a contract to Our Rescue with a potential value of up to $244 million.
- Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center, stated the move 'will only give HHS new opportunities to forsake children's rights and well-being.' She argued placing children's legal representation inside the agency holding them in custody creates unprecedented conflicts of interest.
- Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, warned that government-employed attorneys might encourage minors to accept voluntary departure rather than present full case facts. She noted the child's lawyer, judge, and prosecutors seeking deportation will all be federal employees.
- Sui Chung, executive director of Americans for Immigrant Justice, stated that denying independent counsel is a 'fundamental breakdown of the fairness our Constitution promises.' The new division will operate under HHS's general counsel direction, marking a significant shift from prior independent representation models.
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26 Articles
26 Articles
The Toronto Star+11 Reposted by 11 other sources
Trump administration to assign government lawyers to migrant kids’ cases, worrying advocates
MIAMI (AP) — The Trump administration is creating a team of attorneys to represent children who traveled alone to the United States in immigration proceedings, which critics say would deprive them of having lawyers who aren't employed by the government…
·Toronto, Canada
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Critics decry Trump administration's move to assign government la
MIAMI (AP) — The Trump administration is creating a team of attorneys to represent children who traveled alone to the United States in immigration proceedings, which critics say would deprive them of having lawyers who aren’t employed
·Baltimore, United States
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Telemundo 20+12 Reposted by 12 other sources
The change is a matter of concern to critics, who claim that migrant minors will not have an independent representative to advocate for them without conflict of interest.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources26
Leaning Left8Leaning Right1Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution61% Left
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources lean Left
61% Left
L 61%
C 31%
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