A $65 million federal contract with the Acacia Center for Justice was terminated today, leaving more than 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children across the country without free legal representation. The contract, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, provided legal screenings, court assistance, and full representation for children who arrived in the U.S. without parents or guardians. Many of these children fled abuse, abandonment, or neglect in their home countries. Some are infants.
The fallout hits home in Florida. Americans for Immigrant Justice, a Miami-based subcontractor, says funding stalled back in December 2025. They’ve been using their own reserves to keep services going, but with no payment for five to six months of work, they had no choice but to furlough half their team as of July 31. The organization currently holds a caseload of nearly 300 children in its Miami office alone. HHS maintains that the contract simply expired Friday and claims Acacia declined a bridge contract offer.
For families here on the Suncoast, this story is a reminder of how federal decisions ripple into local communities. Legal aid groups in Florida are now stretched thinner than ever, and children in immigration court have no guaranteed right to an attorney under federal law. That means many will navigate a complex legal system entirely on their own. What are your thoughts on how the federal government should handle legal representation for children in custody? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
