Expiration of Federal Contract Leaves Vulnerable Children Facing Proceedings Alone
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 5, 2026—On Friday, July 31st, the Trump administration ended a critical federal contract with the Acacia Center for Justice providing legal services and representation to children who entered the United States without a parent or guardian. The decision dismantled a network of nearly 100 legal service providers, including Church World Service, and leaves over 20,000 unaccompanied children across the country, many of whom are victims of trafficking or other abuse, without legal representation.
Today, uncertainty reigns for these children. The government is now awarding a $150 million contract to a single law firm—specializing in commercial litigation and environmental regulations—to provide immigration legal services for thousands of children, in a complex and fast-moving area of the law. The move risks leaving vulnerable children who are as young as four years old, the majority of whom do not speak English, to navigate immigration laws and the court system without suitable counsel. This is a fundamental denial of due process.
Rick Santos, President and CEO of Church World Service, emphasized CWS’s commitment to this work, stating:
Immigration court is not a routine formality. For unaccompanied children, it is where life-altering decisions are made about their safety, freedom, and future. Many arrive to the United States carrying the weight of trauma and loss, seeking only the chance to live, learn, and thrive.
Yet without adequate legal representation, children are forced to face a complex legal system alone and fend for themselves with no legal protection of their rights, their stories unheard and justice out of reach.
As Scripture reminds us, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” Denying children legal representation is not merely a policy choice; it is unconscionable and a barrier to fairness, dignity, and due process.
Santos further added:
Access to justice depends on access to legal representation, especially for children whose safety and future hang in the balance. Data shows that immigration judges are nearly 100 times more likely to grant relief to unaccompanied children who have legal representation. Our experienced legal teams represent hundreds of unaccompanied children, many of whom have escaped persecution, trafficking, violence, and exploitation.
The Trump administration must abide by its statutory obligations to facilitate and fund access to legal services for unaccompanied children. No matter how federal policies or funding priorities may change, CWS’s commitment to these children will not. Guided by our mission and values, seeking justice and mercy, we remain unwavering in our efforts to pursue every available avenue to ensure that vulnerable children have access to the legal support they so desperately need and deserve.
For more information about CWS and its current policy priorities, subscribe to the State of Play. To speak to CWS about the protection of unaccompanied children, contact media@cwsglobal.org.