Fact Sheet – CLSEPA v. HHS
Because kids should be kids, not lawyers.
Summary
On March 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) abruptly terminated funding for legal services for over 26,000 unaccompanied immigrant children in federal custody. These children—many of whom have fled violence, persecution, or trafficking—are now expected to face deportation proceedings alone, without an attorney, advocate, or even a clear understanding of the court process.
This sudden defunding violates federal law, disrupts ongoing legal cases, and leaves vulnerable children unprotected. Legal representation is not a luxury—it is a legal and moral necessity.
For this reason a coalition of legal organizations, including CLSEPA, has sued the federal government to stop this illegal rollback and restore legal services for unaccompanied children.
This case is about more than a contract. It’s about upholding due process, protecting children from exploitation, and ensuring the federal government follows its own laws.
Legal Basis
CLSEPA and partner organizations filed a federal lawsuit against HHS, arguing that:
- Federal law was violated: The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) requires HHS to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that unaccompanied children have legal representation.
- Funding was already approved by Congress: Over $5 billion was appropriated in the most recent budget to support legal access for children in federal immigration proceedings.
HHS violated its own 2024 regulation, which mandates continued legal services when funds are available. - The decision was arbitrary: The government offered no explanation, no alternative plan, and no warning to affected organizations or children.
Children’s rights are being ignored: Without attorneys, children face a much higher risk of wrongful deportation and harm.
What’s At Stake
- Young children, some as young as toddlers, are being expected to represent themselves in court against trained government attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security.
- Legal service providers are being forced to lay off experienced staff, eroding trust and consistency critical to working with children facing trauma.
Thousands more children will never receive the legal orientation or assistance they need to understand their rights or pursue lawful immigration relief.
The Plaintiffs
Plaintiffs include trusted providers across the country with deep expertise in child immigration law.Organizational plaintiffs in the suit include Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, Estrella del Paso, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, National Immigrant Justice Center, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, Social Justice Collaborative, and Vermont Asylum Assistance Project.
Plaintiffs are represented by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, and Justice Action Center.