Senators Demand Legal Aid for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) are leading a call among 32 Senators for the Trump Administration to ensure legal representation for unaccompanied children in the immigration system. In a letter addressed to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the Senators emphasized the necessity of legal services that are mandated by law.

This comes after the Trump Administration issued an order earlier this month halting legal services provided by organizations for unaccompanied minors. Although last week this order was rescinded, the Senators are pressing for continued support to prevent these vulnerable children from being at risk.

“Pausing or terminating the provision of legal services to unaccompanied children under this contract runs directly counter to the requirements of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and places 26,000 unaccompanied children at increased risk of trafficking, exploitation, and other harm,” the Senators wrote.

The TVPRA, enacted by Congress in 2008 on a bipartisan basis, mandates that HHS ensures, to the extent possible, that all unaccompanied children have legal counsel in immigration proceedings to safeguard them from mistreatment and exploitation. Ossoff and Hirono are joined by a coalition of Senators including Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) among others.

According to a report by the Guardian, the organizations affected by the order prior to its rescindment provide essential legal counsel to around 26,000 unaccompanied minors currently navigating the U.S. immigration system.

“Cutting off access to legal services makes it more likely that the government will lose track of unaccompanied children, given the challenges such children would face in independently appearing for immigration court hearings, submitting address updates, or otherwise communicating with immigration authorities,” the Senators asserted. “Not only will this make children more vulnerable to trafficking, but it will also create further inefficiencies in an already backlogged immigration court system.”

Senator Ossoff remains committed to protecting the rights of vulnerable children. Recently, he voiced concerns regarding the Trump Administration’s tentative plans to house migrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in federal prisons across the nation, including FCI Atlanta.

Last month, Ossoff, alongside Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), introduced the bipartisan Generate Recordings of All Child Protective Interviews Everywhere (GRACIE Act), aimed at enhancing transparency and improving outcomes for children involved with Child Protective Services, which includes Georgia’s Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS).

In his previous role as Chairman of the Senate Human Rights Subcommittee, Ossoff led a 13-month investigation into the welfare of foster children, revealing widespread abuse and neglect, including issues related to “hidden foster care” placements in Georgia.

For further details, read Senators Ossoff and Hirono’s full inquiry with the Departments of HHS and Interior.