Lawmakers exploring termination of legal aid for migrant kids following court order to reinitiate services
Rewritten Article:
Here's the latest scoop on the ongoing saga of unaccompanied migrant children seeking asylum in the United States. Just when you thought it was all sorted, a new twist emerged.
The Trump administration, after some prodding, agrees to resume funding for lawyers representing these kids, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Groups working tirelessly to keep these vulnerable children from being deported say the legal aid they need is still at risk, thanks to a Republican proposal put forward in a House committee.
Jennifer Podkul, vice president for policy and advocacy at Kids in Need of Defense, expressed her shock. "I've been doing this work for a long time, and what I read in this bill took my breath away," she said. "This bill not only makes it impossible for children to access protection in the United States, but it would make the government responsible for putting children in even more compromised and dangerous conditions."
The White House, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the House Judiciary Committee, which considered the measure, didn't respond to requests for comment.
A preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguin in California's Northern District ordered the administration to resume the funding for legal assistance, which it had halted in March. However, several groups providing the legal help filed additional complaints with the court, alleging that the administration blatantly disregarded the temporary restraining order. During this time, the administration appealed and also attempted to have the judge recuse herself.
On the eve of the deadline for Martínez-Olguin's decision on the preliminary injunction, the administration signed a modified contract with the Acacia Center for Justice. But Adina Appelbaum, program director for the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights' Immigration Impact Lab, which is representing some of the plaintiffs, noted that the new contract is for a shorter period.
The funding's duration, however, could depend on the budget legislation currently being written in Congress. The measure considered by the House committee proposes a number of fees that would charge unaccompanied children and their parents or guardians. Among these, a $5,000 fee for arriving at the border between legal ports of entry, and sponsorship fees of up to $8,500.
Members of organizations that assist unaccompanied children say the proposal, if it became law, would "dismantle" protections for these kids, with "catastrophic" implications for children seeking safety in the United States, including many who are trafficking victims.
Jean Bruggeman, executive director of the Freedom Network, the country's largest coalition of anti-trafficking advocates and experts, stated that the United States has made "impressive" progress against human trafficking over the past 25 years. She adds, "The measure considered by the committee would be a 'huge gift to traffickers' and an increase in vulnerability for children and families in the United States that will lead to more abuse and exploitation."
Stay tuned to find out how this unfolds. We'll keep you posted!
- The Republican proposal threatens the legal protections for unaccompanied migrant children seeking asylum in the United States, risking increased danger and compromised conditions for these vulnerable children, according to Jennifer Podkul of Kids in Need of Defense.
- The Trump administration blatantly disregarded the temporary restraining order by the U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguin, who ordered the administration to resume funding for legal assistance to unaccompanied children.
- The new contract signed by the administration with the Acacia Center for Justice has a shorter duration, potentially hindering the provision of long-term legal aid to the unaccompanied children.
- The congressional budget legislation currently being written in Congress may dictate the duration of funding for legal assistance to unaccompanied children, as it proposes fees that couldamount to a dismantling of their protections, with catastrophic implications for many who are trafficking victims.
- If the House committee's proposal becomes law, it would be a huge gift to human traffickers, according to Jean Bruggeman, executive director of the Freedom Network, an alarming increase in vulnerability for children and families in the United States, leading to more abuse and exploitation, as the country's anti-trafficking progress over the past 25 years could be reversed.
