EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — An El Paso nonprofit that provides legal services to unaccompanied migrant children said its federal funding was cut on Friday, March 21 by the Trump Administration and it is now being forced to furlough its staff.
Estrella del Paso said Friday’s order terminated 80 percent of total funding for its programs for unaccompanied children, representing nearly 50 percent of the agency’s total budget.
The Associated Press reported that the Trump Administration on Friday ended a contract that provides legal help to migrant children entering the country without a parent or guardian.
Under this new order, Estrella del Paso immediately placed 18 staff members on furlough. Another four have been temporarily reassigned.
A team of 30 individuals has now been reduced to six people, the organization said.
“Today’s decision flies in the face of our values as Americans. Children are precious, and as Americans, we have honored our responsibility to protect them for generations. Today’s action by the Trump Administration will result in thousands of children being forced to navigate the immigration legal system alone,” said Melissa M. Lopez, executive director at Estrella del Paso.
“This order will not stop our work. We will continue to advocate on behalf of children and the entire immigrant community in El Paso and beyond. We will also not abandon the employees who were placed on furlough today. We will continue to fight for full restoration of the program so our team will soon be back to work advocating for immigrant children,” Lopez added.
Last month, the Trump Administration had briefly ordered the nonprofit to stop its work providing representation and legal access services to unaccompanied migrant children, but then reversed itself several days earlier.
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