The federal government’s contract with the Acacia Center for Justice expires July 31, and the Trump administration has provided no guidance on how cases involving unaccompanied children will be handled after that, while contractors report no payments since November. Legal services groups are sounding an alarm: absent a replacement or extension, thousands of migrant children could face immigration court without counsel.
What changed
In March 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services terminated Acacia’s $200 million contract to provide legal aid to more than 20,000 unaccompanied minors. Acacia subcontracts with more than 100 organizations to represent youth and provide legal clinics at detention facilities.
The immediate crisis: lawyers say they haven’t been paid since November and the Trump administration has not provided any guidance on how cases involving children will be handled after July 31. The federal government required that children’s lawyers turn over sensitive information about their clients; when they refused, their funding was frozen, leaving many legal aid groups serving immigrant youth struggling to operate.
According to Acacia’s Executive Director, many firms are weighing layoffs, hiring freezes or closure; the Texas-based Estrella del Paso is seeking donations because it has not received up to $765,000 in federal payments.
Why it matters
Migrant kids who arrive without a parent or guardian receive special protections since passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008. While not guaranteeing a lawyer, the law requires the government to facilitate representation.
If the contract lapses without replacement, you will face a system in which thousands of unaccompanied children—most speaking little or no English, many very young—navigate removal proceedings alone. Immigration law is nearly impossible for a child; some unaccompanied children are so young their feet do not touch the courtroom floor, yet without legal counsel they are expected to represent themselves.
The funding freeze has already fractured the national network of expert attorneys and paralegals. Legal advocates fear that the loss of this contract could create devastation to a network of expert attorneys who are there every step of the way in this complicated process for kids.
Way forward
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Verify contract status: Contact Acacia Center for Justice directly and check the Federal Register for any interim funding announcement or extension past July 31.
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Document gaps: If you represent unaccompanied minors or their families, begin tracking the availability of counsel, denial of representation, or court appearances without legal assistance in your jurisdiction.
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Coordinate referrals: Connect with other legal aid organizations in your area to identify which (if any) are continuing to fund children’s representation post-July 31; this intelligence will affect how you advise families.
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Engage legislatively: Monitor Congressional activity on appropriations or authorization for children’s legal services; advocacy groups may coordinate comment or testimony opportunities.
Disclaimer
This article is not legal advice. Fola Editorial publishes factual summaries of immigration policy for practitioner awareness; only a licensed immigration attorney can advise you on your individual case. Policy and funding status can change without notice. Verify all developments against the primary source linked above and applicable statutes and regulations.