logo
Federal judge orders legal funds for solo migrant children to be restored

Federal judge orders legal funds for solo migrant children to be restored

Chicago Tribune04-04-2025

A federal judge in Northern California ordered the restoration of legal funds for migrant children who enter the United States alone, temporarily reversing a Trump administration decision last month that had left children at risk of deportation.
Nonprofit groups had been fighting the decision since they received notice from the federal government on March 21 that it would terminate funding for legal services for unaccompanied children in immigration court.
The halt in funding, according to a complaint filed by the groups, had put some 26,000 children at risk of being cut off from their lawyers and disadvantaged them in adversarial immigration proceedings. The government had argued that the funding was discretionary and that it was not obligated to provide legal representation for the children.
But Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of San Francisco disagreed, saying on Tuesday that by terminating the funding, the government had potentially violated its obligations to protect children from human trafficking.
Under a law combating human trafficking, which the nonprofit groups argued the government had violated, the government must, to the 'greatest extent practicable,' provide legal representation to minors.
Children represented by the nonprofits, according to the groups' complaint, arrived in the United States to flee violence, poverty and other dangers. Many of them are from Central America. Most do not speak English or have the means to hire a lawyer.
Nearly two-thirds of unaccompanied children had representation when they appeared in U.S. courts during the 2024 fiscal year, according to official data. Children who have lawyers attend their hearings 95% of the time, while those without representation attend only 33% of the time. Thousands of children in recent years who have missed their court dates have been ordered to be deported.
Since the federal funding was cut off, the groups said that they had been forced to consider cutting staff to stay financially viable or to stop providing legal services to existing and future clients. The groups, the judge said Tuesday, would likely suffer 'irreparable harm' without the funding.
Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the care of migrant children, said in an email Wednesday that the department did not comment on ongoing litigation.
The order, which came into effect Wednesday, will expire April 16, with both parties able to file more briefs before a final decision by the court.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

ABC's Terry Moran is suspended following his social media post calling Trump and Miller haters
ABC's Terry Moran is suspended following his social media post calling Trump and Miller haters

Associated Press

time21 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

ABC's Terry Moran is suspended following his social media post calling Trump and Miller haters

NEW YORK (AP) — ABC News has suspended correspondent Terry Moran for calling Trump administration deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller a 'world class hater' in a since-deleted social media post. Moran's post was swiftly condemned by officials in the Republican administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance. ABC News, in a statement, said it 'stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others.' The New York-based network said Moran was suspended pending further evaluation. Moran, who interviewed President Donald Trump a few weeks ago, said in his post on X at 12:06 a.m. on Sunday that the president was a world-class hater, too. But he wrote that for the president, his hatred is a means to an end, 'and that end is his own glorification.' For Miller, Moran's post said, 'his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate.' Vance, on X, said that Moran's post was 'dripping with hatred.' The vice president wrote: 'Remember that every time you watch ABC's coverage of the Trump administration.' Miller, on X, said Moran's 'full public meltdown' exposed the corporate press. 'For decades, the privileged anchor and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist's pose. Terry pulled off his mask.'

US, Chinese trade negotiators meeting in London
US, Chinese trade negotiators meeting in London

The Hill

time26 minutes ago

  • The Hill

US, Chinese trade negotiators meeting in London

Top U.S. and Chinese officials are meeting in London on Monday to try to fortify the countries' temporary trade truce, which is currently on track to expire in August. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer are in the U.K. for the talks with Chinese Vice President He Lifeng. It's unclear how long negotiations could last, but Chinese officials have predicted they could extend several days. 'The two sides need to make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism already in place, and seek win-win results in the spirit of equality and respect for each other's concerns,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian wrote in a post on X ahead of the meeting. 'The Chinese side is sincere about this, and at the same time has its principles.' President Trump confirmed plans for the London confab last week after a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who the president has described as 'extremely hard to make a deal with.' 'The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries,' Trump wrote in a social media post Thursday. The two sides have been attempting to hash out a long-term trade agreement following Trump's announcement of sweeping tariff hikes on most countries in April. The Trump administration urged countries last week to come forward with deals more favorable to U.S. interests. U.S. and Chinese leaders brokered their temporary pause in the tariff hikes after meeting in Geneva last month. Under that arrangement, the U.S. lowered its tariff rate on Chinese goods from 145 percent to 30 percent, and China agreed to lower its tariff to 10 percent from 125 percent for 90 days. China's exports to the U.S. were down 35 percent in May compared to last year, according to the latest analysis from Dutch multinational banking and financial services firm ING Group, adding pressure ahead of the latest round of meetings between the two countries. 'Exports to the U.S. surprisingly decelerated despite the trade war reprieve,' ING's analysts wrote. 'We expect that export growth to the US could recover in the coming months.' 'We could see import front-loading amid the still elevated risk that tariffs could once again move higher in light the uncertainty about trade talks over the past month,' the firm added.

Live updates: L.A. protests disperse but more planned after dozens arrested
Live updates: L.A. protests disperse but more planned after dozens arrested

Washington Post

time28 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Live updates: L.A. protests disperse but more planned after dozens arrested

Further protests are expected in the Los Angeles area Monday, after a weekend where more than 50 protesters were arrested as anti-ICE demonstrators clashed with law enforcement. The Trump administration ordered the deployment of more than 2,000 National Guard personnel in an effort to quell the protests, prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to say he plans to sue the administration. The Service Employees International Union is holding a rally in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon in support of David Huerta, president of SEIU California, the state's largest public-sector union. Huerta was arrested Friday on charges of obstruction during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid last week. He is expected to be arraigned in federal court Monday.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store