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Lawmakers demand reinstatement of legal aid for migrant children

REQUEST TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION| Congressman Jason Crow along with 97 other lawmakers. (Picture/El Comercio de Colorado)

INITIATIVE LED BY JASON CROW

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Congressman Jason Crow, along with 97 other lawmakers, has demanded that the Trump administration immediately and fully reinstate the federal contract that funds legal services for more than 26,000 unaccompanied minors who have crossed the U.S. border. The request was formalized in a letter addressed to Health and Interior Secretaries Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Doug Burgum, respectively.

The letter denounces the recent decision to cancel a large portion of the contract that allows legal representation and guidance for these children, who face complex immigration proceedings without the presence of a parent or guardian. According to the signers, this measure directly contradicts the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), which mandates that legal assistance be provided to these children whenever possible.

“Denying these minors access to attorneys is not only inhumane, but it also exposes them to increased risks of abuse, exploitation, and trafficking,” states the letter led by Crow. Lawmakers warn that many of the affected children are just two or three years old and will be forced to appear in immigration court without understanding the process or having any representation. Crow and his colleagues emphasize that attorneys not only protect minors but also improve the efficiency of the immigration system.

Lawmakers demand reinstatement of legal aid for migrant children

Action needed before March 29

“98% of children represented by attorneys attend their hearings,” they highlighted. In addition, attorneys help accelerate voluntary return processes for those wishing to go back to their home countries and assist authorities in identifying trafficking or abuse cases. The letter also criticizes the timing of the decision, which comes just before the annual renewal of the contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, the organization that coordinates the network of legal aid providers.

According to Acacia, the cancellation threatens to leave thousands of children alone in court. “The collapse of the system is imminent if this measure is not reversed,” warned Michael Lukens, executive director of Amica, one of the organizations working with Acacia. Several lawmakers believe the cancellation is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to further harden its immigration policy, especially as it prepares to expand deportation proceedings for minors.

Congress is now increasing pressure to stop this policy before March 29, the official contract expiration date. Meanwhile, allied organizations and human rights advocates are calling for urgent action to prevent thousands of children from facing a legal system alone—a system that even adults struggle to understand.