EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – An El Paso nonprofit plans to sue the federal government for halting their ability to provide legal services to migrant minors in federal custody.
The federal stop-work order involves know-your-rights presentations and immigration court services provided by Estrella del Paso, formerly Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services.
“If we are not able to provide legal representation, we expect the number of children receiving deportation orders will go up,” said Melissa M. Lopez, executive director of Estrella de El Paso. “The expectation that a child of any age can go into a courtroom to represent themselves to apply for (an immigration) benefit without an adult to help is ludicrous.”
The organization last year provided rights presentations to approximately 5,000 unaccompanied minors at various federal facilities and represents about 2,000 in court – some of whom arrived in the United States years ago and still have pending immigration cases.
The contract being paused by the Trump administration affects explicitly 1,273 unaccompanied children (UACs) being represented by Estrella del Paso attorneys.
They include a 13-year-old girl who was kidnapped in her home country, beaten, and sexually assaulted, said La Estrella de El Paso attorney Jorge Rodriguez.
The girl was rescued from kidnappers by family members, who are now missing. He said she made her way alone to the United States, where she can probably stay if she has a lawyer.
“She is likely eligible for multiple forms of relief. (But) she has court in a few weeks, and I can’t help her – none of my colleagues can help her,” Rodriguez said. “She needs legal help to protect us, and this order took it away from her.”
Another client is a 9-year-old boy who was forced to flee his home country after criminals murdered his father and threatened to kill him.
The advocates worry those and other minors in federal custody will fall prey to criminals or end up being exploited abroad if ordered removed from the U.S.
Lopez said the organization will need to raise $3 million from donations and non-federal grants to make up for suspending the Office of Refugee Resettlement contract.
“We have a stop-work order, but we have an ethical responsibility as attorneys,” she said. “We have plans to continue our work and represent them to ensure their rights are respected. We will do so without compensation.”
However, it’s not clear if the attorneys will continue to have access to the minors in the wake of the stop-work order, and pro bono work would be only a temporary solution.
Lopez said the group plans to ask a federal judge to reinstate the program immediately.
The organization also has begun to mobilize advocates and contributors to contact members of Congress to press the administration not to place vulnerable young migrants in harm’s way by denying them a fair chance to stay in the country.
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