The federal government plans to allocate $150 million to a Texas law firm with connections to the Trump administration. This firm is to represent unaccompanied immigrant children in government custody. The announcement is listed in the Federal Register as of Thursday. Protecting these children, who often arrive without guardians, follows long-standing legal obligations due to fears of exploitation, abuse, or trafficking.

Houston’s Burke Law Group will receive this significant contract. Although primarily dealing with environmental and regulatory cases, this firm has limited immigration expertise. Roxana Avila-Cimpeanu from the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project criticized the decision. She stated, “Instead of caring for these children, the government awarded a contract to a firm with no notable experience in immigration law or child welfare.” Burke Law Group and the Department of Health and Human Services did not comment on these developments.

This contract follows the expiry of one with nearly 100 legal nonprofits. These nonprofits previously declined to release confidential data about the children. Michael Lukens of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights said, “HHS’s insistence on this data compromises attorney-client privilege.” A lawsuit over owed payments of $65 million to these nonprofits continues.

Connections to the Trump administration are notable. Burke Law Group’s co-founder Marcella Burke served in the Interior Department and the EPA under Trump. Founding partner Jeffrey Hall, an EPA assistant administrator, faced scrutiny in his Senate confirmation. Concerns focus on Hall’s previous stance on environmental regulations. The EPA did not comment when approached.

Immigrant-rights advocates question if Burke Law Group should manage the contract. It covers roughly 1,800 children in shelters. However, nearly 22,000 children in non-HHS shelters remain without representation. Lukens remarked, “Nobody has a contract with HHS to serve these kids.” The contract’s start date of August 15 leaves a service gap. As minimal resources persist, nonprofits continue offering legal aid for free.

The Acacia Center for Justice, tasked with services until July 31, emphasized the need for experience. They stated, “Any organization taking over must navigate our complex immigration system and have training for working with vulnerable children.” These children often escape violence and trafficking from their home countries.