A federal judge has ruled that the United States government must temporarily restore funding for legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children, preventing tens of thousands from losing legal representation. The decision by Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin in San Francisco ensures that these vulnerable minors will continue receiving legal support while their immigration cases proceed.
The ruling comes after the Trump administration abruptly ended its contract with the Acacia Center for Justice on March 21, halting crucial legal aid services for migrant children. Acacia criticized the move, arguing that stripping children of legal representation would undermine due process and expose them to further trauma and exploitation. Executive Director Shaina Aber emphasized the urgency of protecting these children, many of whom are too young to navigate the immigration system alone.
A group of subcontractors working with Acacia challenged the government’s decision in court, citing a 2008 anti-trafficking law that requires legal assistance for vulnerable migrant children. Judge Martinez-Olguin agreed that their concerns were valid, ruling that the government must continue funding the program while the case is resolved. She stated that legal representation improves both fairness and efficiency in the immigration process.
The order takes effect on Wednesday and will last until April 16. This marks the third legal defeat in a week for the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Other recent court rulings have blocked efforts to deport migrants to countries other than their own and delayed the termination of protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans.