The Trump administration abruptly cut off legal aid for unaccompanied immigrant children on Tuesday, telling government-funded attorneys across the country they should immediately stop their work.
Advocates called the decision shocking and warned that taking away legal aid programs would endanger minors already at risk of child trafficking, an issue that Trump and Republican members of his administration repeatedly highlighted as a concern during the 2024 election. The order to “stop all work” affects US non-profits that provide legal counsel for about 26,000 unaccompanied minors.
