Padilla, Senate Democrats Sound Alarm on Trump Administration Attacks on Unaccompanied Children’s Legal Representation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sounded the alarm on the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on legal services for unaccompanied children, requesting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General (IG) conduct a full investigation into the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) process for entering into agreements for legal services and how it plans to ensure children are adequately represented. In a letter to the HHS Inspector General, the Senators raised concerns about the Trump Administration’s continued attempts to undermine essential legal services for unaccompanied children. “On July 31, 2026, after a year and a half of repeated attempts to gut legal services for unaccompanied children, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) allowed contracts for the provision of these services to expire. The agency appeared to have no clear plan to ensure that the over 25,000 children impacted by this expiration would have lawyers in their deportation proceedings,” wrote the Senators . “Instead, ORR has since hastily attempted to award contracts for legal services to political allies of the Trump Administration with few, if any, qualifications to provide such services—all amid a push by the Administration to deport these children. In addition, ORR appears to have provided sensitive personal information about children to new representation without any consultation with current counsel or the children themselves. This has led to a full blown crisis for vulnerable children, who should not have to represent themselves in deportation proceedings. We write to request that you immediately initiate an investigation into whether funds appropriated for legal services to unaccompanied children have been implemented in a manner that meets ORR’s legal obligations.” “Congress has, on a bipartisan basis, made clear that unaccompanied children should not be forced to represent themselves in immigration court…” continued the Senators . “Despite these statutory protections, ORR has nevertheless taken drastic steps to gut legal representation for children.” The Senators cited troubling reports of contracts with longstanding legal service providers expiring , current providers remaining in the dark , and new problematic contacts like those to Burke Law Group and Our Rescue . “ORR’s collective actions seem designed to deprive unaccompanied children of adequate representation in deportation proceedings,” the Senators concluded . “Attempts by the Administration to expedite the deportation of these children by limiting their access to immigration counsel deserves urgent oversight.” The Senators requested a formal investigation into ORR’s actions by the HHS Inspector General, to ensure compliance with the law. Last week, Padilla joined his Democratic colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump Administration on its intent to award a no-bid contract to a Trump-aligned law firm with no apparent immigration law experience, allowing them to represent unaccompanied children who are in the care and custody of the ORR. Earlier this month, Padilla cosponsored the Fairness to Freedom Act of 2026 , legislation that would guarantee the right to legal representation for all individuals facing deportation or immigration proceedings, even if they are unable to afford it. Full letter is available here . ###