Sens. Ossoff, Murkowski Push Back Against Trump Order Targeting Immigrant Children

Washington, D.C.— After the Trump Administration stripped children in immigration courts of lawyers, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is leading a bipartisan demand that the Administration reverse course and ensure children have representation.
Today, Sens. Ossoff and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) warned U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that the Trump Administration’smove to end legal services for unaccompanied minorsis putting children at risk of trafficking and exploitation and urged the restoration of representation.
The Trump Administration’s order last month removes protections that have helped unaccompanied children — some as young as two years old — get legal representation in immigration court, asmandated by law.
Without a lawyer, many of these children could be forced to face judges and complex legal proceedings alone.
“We write to express our serious concern about the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent decision to terminate legal services for unaccompanied children and to urge you to restore these services, including legal representation of over 26,000 of these children, under the associated federal contract implemented by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR),”Sens. Ossoff and Murkowski wrote.“The termination of this contract runs counter to the requirements of theTrafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act(TVPRA), puts children directly at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and harms any hope of a fair legal process for thousands of vulnerable children.”
In 2008, the bipartisanTrafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act(TVPRA)created procedures for processing the cases of unaccompanied children (UAC) in recognition of the vulnerability of children traveling alone to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.
“Access to counsel is critical to ensure fair and efficient immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children. Terminating legal representation for these children means that toddlers will now face a courtroom and judge with no adult to advocate on their behalf. Children will be asked to make decisions about their legal rights well beyond their comprehension, with life-altering consequences,”Sens. Ossoff and Murkowski continued.
Sen. Ossoff is continuing his work to ensure children are protected from human trafficking and exploitation.
Last month, Sens. Ossoff and Mazie Hirono (D-HI)led a groupof 32 Senators demanding HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum continue legal services for unaccompanied children caught up in the immigration system as required by law.
Last month, Sen. Ossoffsounded the alarmabout the Trump Administration’sdecisionto house migrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Federal prisonsalready overcrowdedand understaffed nationwide, including FCI Atlanta.
In February, Sens. Ossoff and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)introducedthe bipartisanGenerate Recordings of All Child Protective Interviews Everywhere(GRACIE Act) to bring transparency and improve outcomes for children involved with Child Protective Services, including Georgia’s Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS).
Click hereto read the Senators’ letter.
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