By james art 
Organizations claim that children are at risk as the Trump administration stopped a key program late on Tuesday by ordering the Acacia Center for Justice and its subcontractors to immediately stop working under a $ 200 million contract ($ 158 million) to make provide representation for children entering into, entering into children entering children entering children entering children entering children, entering children entering children entering children entering children who enter children who enter children who enter children who enter children who enter children entering children country country country alone.
Daniela Hernandez, an immigration lawyer who provides free legal services to about 60 children in Pasadena, California, said during a press conference on Wednesday, that some of her clients – two years old – hold court hearings immediately after Friday.
“What should this two -year -old client do without her lawyer?” she said. “Who will talk about her in court? Who will explain to it and all our other customers in foster care that only nobody, no adult in the United States, who care for them, that they will now have to navigate a very complex legal immigration system themselves? “
The internal department did not explain the stop order, saying only to the group that it was made for “reasons beyond your control” and should not be interpreted as a judgment of poor performance. Stop remains in force until further notification.
In a statement on Wednesday, the department said there were agreements to support other agencies, but did not fund or manage the program and could not answer questions about it. The Ministry of Health and Human Services, which leads the unaccompanied migrants, did not answer requests for comment.
At the San Diego Immigration Court on Wednesday, a five -year -old girl from Mexico, facing deportation, sat down before Judge Olga Atia.
Judge Atia asked if the girl could have some coloring books – “This can be a little more good,” she told her.
As the girl was painting, the judge explained her case, her 13-year-old sister and her 15-year-old brother.
All three children were arrested for crossing the border illegally, without their parents, in March 2024. Their mother attended the hearing – she entered the United States at different times from their children who have their own immigration cases.
And they went around everything without a lawyer.
The mother said they couldn’t afford one. The judge recommended a non -profit purpose, which can give guidance and schedule another hearing in May.
But with the contract, which ended on Tuesday, options for affordable legal guidance are narrowed for this family and thousands of others involving unaccompanied children.
Acacia has a network of 85 organizations across the country working with children under 18 years of age. About 26,000 children of migrants receive a direct legal representation under the contract, while approximately 100,000 receive some legal council, often through presentations, lawyers hold for children while they are in the government- let the shelters just after arriving in the United States
People who fight deportation have no same right to representation as the people passing through criminal courts, although they can hire private lawyers.
However, there is an admission that children navigated by the immigration court, without a parent or guardian, are particularly vulnerable.
The 2008 Traffic Protection Act has created a special protection for children who arrive in the United States without a parent or legal guardian. It says that the government should facilitate the legal representation of the children placed in the deportment proceedings, although it did not require every child to have a lawyer.
Acacia and his subcontractors recruit and train lawyers and work with private lawyers who provide free legal representation for children.
Undue children may request asylum, immigration status of minors or visas for victims of sexual exploitation. Most children do not speak English and need translators.
“You have those children who have entered this situation, similar to adults with very serious consequences,” says Jennifer Pukko, Vice President of Politics and Advocacy in children in need of protection, referring to about 50% of children legal Representation in the Immigration Court.
Children will remain in the system or outside the network and will not be processed, lawyers and experts said.
Melissa Lopez is the executive director of a group who receives funding by stopping the program and she said they have a legal and ethical obligation to continue to help approximately 2000 children who represent.
“We will do what is best for our customers,” says Mrs. Lopez of El Paso, Texas-based Estrela del Passo. The group also gave legal presentations to the shelters so that children knew their rights, but were forbidden to do so, she said.
“They are expected to go to court and uninformed,” she said.