Latest news with #TraffickingVictimsProtectionActof2008
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico Immigrant Law Center feeling impact of federal cuts to unaccompanied minors program
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Amid the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, on Friday, the federal government ended contracts with programs across the country that provide legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children. One of those terminated contracts was with the Unaccompanied Children Program at the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. Story continues below Investigation: DWI cases Albuquerque officers and paralegal made disappear Crime: Santa Fe Police identify man who was killed in hit-and-run Don't Miss: Rio Rancho to review plans to redevelop old country club golf course 'It was devastating to be honest with you,' said Andres Santiago, Associate Managing Attorney at NMILC. 'The immigration system is a complicated system. We know this. And to expect a child to have to navigate that on their own is unconscionable.' He also noted how the immigration court for the state is in El Paso. With NMILC's help, the unaccompanied minors can get help moving the hearings to virtual hearings. He said their clients range in age from high school to just a few years old. 'They're fleeing really horrible situations, and for a lot of these kids, their parents or legal guardians aren't with them,' he said. According to NMILC, more than 300 kids statewide face deportation. 'The impact is huge,' Santiago said of the funding cut. The cut in funding directly impacts 212 of the law center's cases, with some kids having court dates as soon as Friday. NMILC is reviewing its cases and plans to continue representing its clients while they can. 'We have a legal obligation to these kids, we have a legal agreement with these kids to represent them as their attorneys,' said Santiago. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. The deputy press secretary at Health and Human Services told the Associated Press in an emailed statement that the department 'continues to meet the legal requirements established' by the Act, as well as a legal settlement guiding how children in immigration custody are being treated. A copy of the termination letter obtained by The Associated Press said the contract was being terminated 'for the Government's convenience.' Meanwhile, NMILC is scrambling to find funding. It is now heavily relying on donations and has launched a campaign to raise $1.5 million to make up for the loss of funding. 'Administration after administration have realized the special protections that are needed for unaccompanied children,' said Santiago. 'I understand there's going to be critics on everything, but I think we can all agree that kids deserve a fair shot in the country regardless of whether they're born in the country or not.' According to the NMILC, the cuts to this funding leave more than 26,000 unaccompanied minors without access to legal counsel nationwide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration cuts legal help for migrant children traveling alone
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration Friday ended a contract that provides legal help to migrant children entering the country without a parent or guardian, raising concerns that children will be forced to navigate the complex legal system alone. The Acacia Center for Justice contracts with the government to provide legal services through its network of providers around the country to unaccompanied migrant children under 18, both by providing direct legal representation as well as conducting legal orientations — often referred to as 'know your rights' clinics — to migrant children who cross the border alone and are in federal government shelters. Acacia said they were informed Friday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was terminating nearly all the legal work that the center does, including paying for lawyers for roughly 26,000 children when they go to immigration court. They're still contracted to hold the legal orientation clinics. 'It's extremely concerning because it's leaving these kids without really important support,' said Ailin Buigues, who heads Acacia's unaccompanied children program. "They're often in a very vulnerable position.' People fighting deportation do not have the same right to representation as people going through criminal courts, although they can hire private attorneys. But there has been some recognition that children navigating the immigration court system without a parent or guardian are especially vulnerable. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Emily G. Hilliard, deputy press secretary at Health and Human Services, said in an emailed statement that the department 'continues to meet the legal requirements established' by the Act as well as a legal settlement guiding how children in immigration custody are being treated. The termination comes days before the contract was to come up for renewal on March 29. Roughly a month ago the government temporarily halted all the legal work Acacia and its subcontractors do for immigrant children, but then days later Health and Human Services reversed that decision. The program is funded by a five-year contract, but the government can decide at the end of each year if it renews it or not. A copy of the termination letter obtained by The Associated Press said the contract was being terminated 'for the Government's convenience.' Michael Lukens is the executive director of Amica, which is one of the providers contracting with Acacia in the Washington, D.C. area. He said with the renewal date swiftly approaching, they had been worried something like this would happen. He said they will continue to help as many kids as they can "for as long as possible' and will try to fight the termination. 'We're trying to pull every lever but we have to be prepared for the worst, which is children going to court without attorneys all over the country. This is a complete collapse of the system,' he said.
The Independent
21-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Trump administration cuts legal help for migrant children traveling alone
The Trump administration Friday ended a contract that provides legal help to migrant children entering the country without a parent or guardian, raising concerns that children will be forced to navigate the complex legal system alone. The Acacia Center for Justice contracts with the government to provide legal services through its network of providers around the country to unaccompanied migrant children under 18, both by providing direct legal representation as well as conducting legal orientations — often referred to as 'know your rights' clinics — to migrant children who cross the border alone and are in federal government shelters. Acacia said they were informed Friday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was terminating nearly all the legal work that the center does, including paying for lawyers for roughly 26,000 children when they go to immigration court. They're still contracted to hold the legal orientation clinics. 'It's extremely concerning because it's leaving these kids without really important support,' said Ailin Buigues, who heads Acacia's unaccompanied children program. "They're often in a very vulnerable position.' People fighting deportation do not have the same right to representation as people going through criminal courts, although they can hire private attorneys. But there has been some recognition that children navigating the immigration court system without a parent or guardian are especially vulnerable. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Emily G. Hilliard, deputy press secretary at Health and Human Services, said in an emailed statement that the department 'continues to meet the legal requirements established' by the Act as well as a legal settlement guiding how children in immigration custody are being treated. The termination comes days before the contract was to come up for renewal on March 29. Roughly a month ago the government temporarily halted all the legal work Acacia and its subcontractors do for immigrant children, but then days later Health and Human Services reversed that decision. The program is funded by a five-year contract, but the government can decide at the end of each year if it renews it or not. A copy of the termination letter obtained by The Associated Press said the contract was being terminated 'for the Government 's convenience.' Michael Lukens is the executive director of Amica, which is one of the providers contracting with Acacia in the Washington, D.C. area. He said with the renewal date swiftly approaching, they had been worried something like this would happen. He said they will continue to help as many kids as they can "for as long as possible' and will try to fight the termination. 'We're trying to pull every lever but we have to be prepared for the worst, which is children going to court without attorneys all over the country. This is a complete collapse of the system,' he said.
Associated Press
21-03-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Trump administration cuts legal help for migrant children traveling alone
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration Friday ended a contract that provides legal help to migrant children entering the country without a parent or guardian, raising concerns that children will be forced to navigate the complex legal system alone. The Acacia Center for Justice contracts with the government to provide legal services through its network of providers around the country to unaccompanied migrant children under 18, both by providing direct legal representation as well as conducting legal orientations — often referred to as 'know your rights' clinics — to migrant children who cross the border alone and are in federal government shelters. Acacia said they were informed Friday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was terminating nearly all the legal work that the center does, including paying for lawyers for roughly 26,000 children when they go to immigration court. They're still contracted to hold the legal orientation clinics. 'It's extremely concerning because it's leaving these kids without really important support,' said Ailin Buigues, who heads Acacia's unaccompanied children program. 'They're often in a very vulnerable position.' People fighting deportation do not have the same right to representation as people going through criminal courts, although they can hire private attorneys. But there has been some recognition that children navigating the immigration court system without a parent or guardian are especially vulnerable. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Emily G. Hilliard, deputy press secretary at Health and Human Services, said in an emailed statement that the department 'continues to meet the legal requirements established' by the Act as well as a legal settlement guiding how children in immigration custody are being treated. The termination comes days before the contract was to come up for renewal on March 29. Roughly a month ago the government temporarily halted all the legal work Acacia and its subcontractors do for immigrant children, but then days later Health and Human Services reversed that decision. The program is funded by a five-year contract, but the government can decide at the end of each year if it renews it or not. A copy of the termination letter obtained by The Associated Press said the contract was being terminated 'for the Government's convenience.' Michael Lukens is the executive director of Amica, which is one of the providers contracting with Acacia in the Washington, D.C. area. He said with the renewal date swiftly approaching, they had been worried something like this would happen. He said they will continue to help as many kids as they can 'for as long as possible' and will try to fight the termination.
Arab News
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Trump administration reverses its previous decision and reinstates legal aid for migrant children
MIAMI: Days after telling legal groups who help migrant children who arrive in America alone — some so young they are in diapers or their feet dangle from their chairs in court — that they must stop their work, the federal government Friday reversed itself. The Trump administration told the groups that they can resume providing legal services to tens of thousands of unaccompanied children. The Acacia Center for Justice said that they received notice from the government of the reversal. The notice came after the government on Tuesday suspended the program that provides legal representation to children who have arrived in the United States across the border with Mexico without parents or legal guardians. Several organizations that offer assistance to migrant children had criticized the measure and said at the time that the minors were at risk. The $200 million contract allows Acacia and its subcontractors to provide legal representation to about 26,000 children and legal education to another 100,000 more. The Friday notice from the United States Department of Interior obtained by The Associated Press does not explain the Trump administration decision to reinstate the program. I states that it 'cancels' the order to halt legal services to migrant children. 'Acacia Center for Justice may resume all activities,' the short notice says. Shaina Aber, executive director of Acacia said that they will continue to work with the government 'to ensure that these critical services upholding the basic due process rights of vulnerable children are fully restored' and their partners can resume their work. She warned, however, that this is a 'critical moment to ensure that no child is forced to navigate' the immigration system alone. Acacia said that in less than 48 hours, members of the public sent more than 15,000 letters to the Congress demanding the resumption of the program. The program is funded by a five-year contract, but the government can decide at the end of each year if it renews it or not. The deadline for this year's decision is in March. Michael Lukens, the executive director of Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, one of the subcontractors, said that despite the reversal he is still concerned. 'I'm very concerned because the attack on children is unprecedented and to even begin that is troubling,' Lukens said. He said if the stop-work order had remained in place, it would have left kids across the country without due process or protection. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008 created special protections for children who arrive alone in the US The law said the government should facilitate legal representation for the children put into deportation proceedings, though it did not mandate every child have a lawyer. Unaccompanied children under the age of 18 can request asylum, juvenile immigration status, or visas for victims of sexual exploitation. Some of the organizations that provide legal representation said the decision to restore funds ensures the continuation of vital protections for vulnerable children. 'We urge the administration to stay this course by exercising the remaining year services under this existing contract,' said Wendy Young, president of the Kids in Need of Defense, one of the organizations that assists migrant children.
