A federal judge in California prevented the Trump administration from ending the financing of the legal advisor for unaccompanied migrant minors.
Appointed by former President Joe Biden, the American district judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín de San Francisco made a temporary ban on Tuesday which will prevent the Trump administration from putting an end to funding while the advantages of the underlying case take place.
The Trump Administration, on March 21, ended a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, which provides legal services for unaccompanied migrant children under the age of 18 through a network of legal aid groups that subcontract the center. Eleven groups of subcontractors continued, saying that 26,000 children risk losing their lawyers; Acacia is not an applicant.
These groups argued that the government had an obligation under 2008 anti-traitory law to provide vulnerable children with legal advisor.
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Immigrants align themselves in the dining room of an American government detention center for migrant children on July 9, 2019, in Carrizo Springs, Texas. (AP photo / Eric Gay)
In his order on Tuesday, Martínez-Olguín said that the defenders had raised legitimate questions as to whether the administration had violated the 2008 law, guaranteeing a return to the status quo while the case continues.
“The court also concludes that continuous financing of legal representation for unaccompanied children promotes efficiency and equity within the immigration system,” she wrote.
This is the third legal setback in less than a week for the repression of immigration from the Trump administration, although everything can be temporary as the proceedings advance.
The number of border crossings along the southwest border in March was just over 7,000, according to the latest CBP figures. (Image of the Border: Getty / Trump Image: AP)
The 2008 law on the protection of victims of the 2008 trafficking created special protections for migrant children who cannot navigate a complex immigration system for themselves. The applicants said that some of their customers are too young to speak and that others are too traumatized and do not know English.
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The defendants, who include the Ministry of Health and Social Services and its Resettlement of Refugees, said taxpayers have no obligation to pay the cost of direct legal aid to migrant children at a time when the government tries to save money.
Acacia is under a new contract with the government to provide legal orientations, including clinics “know your rights”.
This photo shows migrants on the southern border encountered in Arizona. (American border patrol)
The complainants said they did not ask that the contract be restored, but rather wanted to return to the status quo – which spent $ 5 billion that the congress had appropriated so that the children had a representation, Karen Tumlin with the justice action Center during a judicial hearing on Tuesday.
Jonathan Ross, at the Ministry of Justice, said that the government was still funding legally compulsory activities, such as clinics “knowing your rights”, and that legal clinics can offer their services at no cost.
“They are always free to provide these services on a pro bono basis,” he said.
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The order of Martinez-Olguin comes into force on Wednesday morning and will last until April 16 at least April 16.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
