Children face higher threat of US deportation as legal support deal expires

What the report says

Immigration advocates say an expiring federal contract could leave about 24,000 unaccompanied children in the United States without legal help, raising the risk that more minors could be deported. Al Jazeera reported on 31 July 2026 that the service arrangement, which funded roughly 100 legal groups nationwide, expired on Friday and had allowed lawyers to enter government-funded shelters to meet children in their care.

Advocates quoted by the outlet said they do not know who, if anyone, will take over the representation next week. Melissa Lopez of Estrella El Paso said the group had not been told what would happen to the children, while Michael Lukens of the Amica Center accused the administration of undermining the program through delayed payments and demands for client information that providers say they cannot ethically share. According to the article, some nonprofits have already reported layoffs and furloughs.

The reporting comes amid the Trump administration’s broader push to speed up immigration enforcement and deportations. Al Jazeera noted that federal law, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, requires the government to facilitate legal representation for unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings. Children without counsel may still seek asylum or other protected status, but advocates warn that appearing alone in court can make that far harder.

Democratic lawmakers Chris Deluzio and Summer Lee have asked Health and Human Services and the Office of Refugee Resettlement for more information on the contract’s end and how the government will comply with legal obligations. Al Jazeera said HHS did not respond to a request for comment.