The Trump administration has issued a stop-work order to the nonprofit Acacia Center for Justice, cutting off funding for its federal contract to provide legal services to unaccompanied migrant children. The Acacia Center works with various organizations across the country to offer legal assistance to nearly 26,000 children who crossed the border without parents. The stop-work order directs the center to cease all services and notify subcontractors immediately. The move could result in fewer children having access to legal representation in the absence of federal funding. Under U.S. law, immigrants are not guaranteed free legal representation like U.S. citizens accused of crimes. The stop-work order is the second received by the Acacia Center, with the previous one lifted after a temporary restraining order was issued. Despite the order, unaccompanied children can still receive legal representation in removal proceedings, regardless of federal funding. The Acacia Center and its partners have criticized the administration’s decision to suspend the program, stating it undermines due process and puts vulnerable children at risk. The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, one of the Acacia Center’s subcontractors, expressed concern over the impact the funding halt will have on thousands of children and families, including over 800 in Michigan served by their organization. The Department of Health and Human Services, which provides the funding, has not provided details on why the stop-work order was issued.
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