Judge Orders Trump To Restore Legal Aid For Unaccompanied Migrant Children

The move marks the third legal setback in less than a week for the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore legal aid to migrant children who are in the U.S. without a parent or guardian.

On March 21, the administration terminated a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, which provides legal services for unaccompanied migrant children under 18 through a network of legal aid groups that subcontract with the center.

Eleven subcontractor groups sued, claiming that 26,000 children were at risk of losing their attorneys. Acacia itself is not a plaintiff, but the groups involved argued that the government has an obligation under a 2008 anti-trafficking law to provide vulnerable children with legal council.

The judge granted a temporary restraining order after advocating that the groups raised legitimate questions. The move marks the third legal setback in less than a week for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.