New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the state will provide $7.25 million in funding for legal representation of unaccompanied migrant children facing deportation. This move is in response to the Trump administration’s decision to end a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, which provided legal services to migrant children.
Background
The New York State Office for New Americans will enter into contracts with a coalition of legal services providers, led by the Hispanic Federation, to support children previously served under the federal program. Gov. Hochul stated that no child in the state should face the immigration process without advocates and legal support.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also expressed support for the initiative, highlighting the city’s efforts to provide legal representation for immigrants and expand ‘Know Your Rights’ outreach in dozens of languages. The move comes as the Trump administration ramps up its mass deportation campaign across the country.
Advocates have raised concerns that unaccompanied minors facing deportation proceedings lack the legal representation needed to navigate the federal immigration court system. Under federal law, the government is required to facilitate legal representation for unaccompanied children under its care who are facing deportation proceedings.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
