Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) is deeply concerned by the Administration’s decision not to renew contracts with immigration legal services providers serving unaccompanied children.
Legal representation is a cornerstone of safety and stability for unaccompanied children. Children in our Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program have been served through a partnership between LSSNCA’s in-house legal team and a federally funded legal services partner whose contract was not renewed. This loss leaves refugee and other vulnerable children in foster care without pro bono, child-centered immigration legal representation.
LSSNCA’s URM program recruits, licenses, and supports foster families who open their homes to young people who have arrived in the United States without a parent or legal guardian and who cannot safely return home. Foster families offer consistency, care, and sense of belonging while LSSNCA provides case management, educational support, community connections, and trauma-informed services to help each child rebuild their life.
For children who have already endured separation, uncertainty, and trauma, losing legal representation can be devastating. Legal counsel helps children understand their rights, meet court deadlines, pursue available protection, and pursue a safe future in the United States.
“A foster home can provide safety, but legal representation helps determine whether that safety can last. Children who arrive without parents, certainty, or an understanding of the legal process ahead of them deserve more than temporary refuge; they deserve a real chance to build stable futures.”
— Nadya Andrusik, Executive Director, Child, Youth and Family Well-being, LSSNCA
The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act reflects Congress’s recognition that unaccompanied children need access to legal representation. Organizations funded to provide these services should have deep experience in child-centered immigration representation, an unwavering commitment to confidentiality and ethics, and the independence necessary to center each child’s best interests in every case. LSSNCA is committed to working only with partners who share these principles.
As a result of this decision, LSSNCA’s in-house immigration legal team is preparing to take on additional cases and expand its role in protecting children’s access to qualified legal representation. As responsibility shifts, LSSNCA remains committed to ensuring that no child in foster care must navigate life-changing immigration proceedings alone. Please consider supporting this important and urgent legal work.
