WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined 33 of her Senate colleagues in a letter demanding that Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum ensure legal services are available, as required by law, for unaccompanied children caught up in the U.S. immigration system. Last month, the Trump Administration issued a stop work order to organizations that provide legal services for unaccompanied children. Then, following public pressure, the order was rescinded.
“Pausing or terminating the provision of legal services to unaccompanied children under this contract runs directly counter to the requirements of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and places 26,000 unaccompanied children at increased risk of trafficking, exploitation, and other harm,” wrote the Senators. “The TVPRA, passed by Congress in 2008 on a bipartisan basis, requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that all unaccompanied children have counsel to represent them in legal proceedings and protect them from mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking.”
“Cutting off access to legal services makes it more likely that the government will lose track of unaccompanied children, given the challenges such children would face in independently appearing for immigration court hearings, submitting address updates, or otherwise communicating with immigration authorities,” they continued. “Not only will this make children more vulnerable to trafficking, but it will also create further inefficiencies in an already backlogged immigration court system.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
Senator Rosen has been clear in her support for securing the border and making sure the asylum process is humane and orderly. Last month, she helped introduce legislation to reaffirm access to legal counsel during immigration proceedings. She has also been outspoken in opposing mass deportation, and strongly supporting DACA and TPS recipients and their families. She also condemned the Trump Administration’s decision to revoke a previously authorized TPS extension for Venezuelans.
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