How Trump Is Trying to Weaken Migrant Children’s Legal Defense
After failing to eliminate funding for unaccompanied minors’ lawyers altogether, the Administration is pushing cases toward entities that lack both immigration expertise and the capacity to take them on.
The Trump Administration recently awarded legal representation contracts to two firms, Burke Law Group and Our Rescue, to assist unaccompanied migrant children. Burke Law Group, a relatively small Texas-based firm, was chosen despite lacking expertise in immigration law. The firm's founder, Marcella Burke, has ties to previous administrations and a conservative political background.
In contrast, Our Rescue, a nonprofit organization unrelated to legal services, received a larger contract focused on combating human trafficking. Both firms were selected to maintain continuity of legal services for unaccompanied alien children.
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