Washington, DC – In response to the Trump Administration’s decision to eliminate key federally-funded legal services for 26,000 unaccompanied children in the United States, including facilitating pro bono representation and other legal assistance designed to keep children safe, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) President Wendy Young issued the following statement:
“The administration’s devastating decision to strip vital legal services away from unaccompanied children runs counter to its stated desire to protect kids, some as young as toddlers, against trafficking, exploitation, and other abuses that make them easy prey for those who would do them harm. The critical legal programs eliminated today have long-standing bipartisan support from Congress, not only because they protect children from danger, but because they also improve efficiencies in the immigration system by ensuring legal counsel for unaccompanied children who otherwise must navigate a complex court proceeding alone. This includes facilitating private-sector pro bono legal services that KIND oversees with almost 900 law firms, corporations, law schools, and bar associations at no cost to the government. The value of these contributions from KIND’s pro bono partners is approximately $1 billion, a significant contribution at a time when the federal government is claiming to seek cost savings. Elimination of the services in this contract, which are mandated by law, makes it all but impossible for many unaccompanied children to appear for their immigration court hearings or otherwise remain in touch with immigration agencies. It severs key lines of communication and coordination between vulnerable unaccompanied children and the institutions in place to ensure their protection.
“While today’s development is unconscionable, Congress can act to restore these key protections. For years, bipartisan spending bills have dedicated resources to this important work. Doing so has never been more important than now. Congress has full authority on its own to remedy the crisis the administration’s actions will yield – authority it should exercise decisively. KIND calls upon the House of Representatives and Senate to work in a bipartisan fashion to mandate robust funding in the FY 2026 federal appropriations package to the Office of Refugee Resettlement for complete restoration of unaccompanied children’s legal services, including full legal representation. The safety of thousands of children depends on it.”
For more information, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at bbowsersoder@supportkind.org