特朗普政府允许一份为无陪同移民儿童提供法律援助的联邦合同在周五到期[1]。这份合同原本为全美约20000名独自进入美国的儿童提供法律代理服务[1]。合同失效后，这些儿童将失去法律代理支持，被遣返回原籍国的风险随之增加[1]。
近100个法律援助机构参与了该项目[1]，其中位于德克萨斯州的Estrella El Paso目前代理243名儿童[1]。法律援助组织指出，这些机构已经超过半年未获得政府报酬[1]。Estrella El Paso执行主任Melissa Lopez表示："政府试图消除我们在该项目中的工作，因为他们知道没有律师，儿童将被遣返"[1]。Amica Center执行主任Michael Lukens则表示："他们显然试图通过削弱非营利组织的财务状况来破坏该项目"[1]。法律援助机构警告称，在没有律师协助的情况下，这些儿童更可能被遣返[1]。这些儿童原本受《2008年贩运受害者保护重新授权法》的保护[1]。
The Trump administration has allowed a federal legal aid contract to expire, jeopardizing representation for approximately 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children across the United States [1]. The contract, which provided legal representation services mandated under the 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, ended on Friday [1]. Nearly 100 legal aid organizations that had been delivering services under the agreement now face the prospect of operating without federal compensation after going unpaid for more than six months [1].
Legal advocates warn that the loss of representation will significantly increase deportation risks for vulnerable children lacking counsel. Melissa Lopez, executive director of Estrella El Paso—which represented 243 children under the program—stated that "the government is trying to eliminate our work in this program because they know that without lawyers, children will be deported" [1]. Michael Lukens, executive director of Amica Center, characterized the move as deliberate undermining of the program, asserting that "they are clearly trying to undermine the program by weakening the financial condition of non-profits" [1]. Without legal assistance, children are significantly more likely to be returned to their home countries, according to legal aid organizations [1].