Washington, D.C. — Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) welcomes a federal court order issued Friday, October 30, in Maryland that pauses three federal policies limiting unaccompanied children’s ability to prepare for asylum interviews with the help of counsel.
“At LSSNCA, we see firsthand the consequences when unaccompanied children are expected to navigate a complex immigration system alone,” said Kristyn Peck, CEO of LSSNCA. “Every child deserves a meaningful opportunity to prepare their case and access to a lawyer to help them understand the proceedings and tell their story. We are grateful the court has paused these policies that undermine these basic protections.”
The federal district judge in Maryland cited a “dire confluence of circumstances” that keeps highly vulnerable children from meaningful legal representation. The order, in effect through November 13 while the case continues, temporarily pauses three recently imposed and problematic policies governing asylum interviews for unaccompanied children:
Giving children and their attorneys fewer than 21 days’ notice before an interview.
Ending the practice of timely written notice of interview dates to children and their counsel.
Requiring children to show “exceptional circumstances” to reschedule their interviews.
LSSNCA’s Unaccompanied Refugee Minors programs in Washington, D.C. and Fairfax, Virginia provide foster care to children who arrived without a parent or legal guardian, and our legal team represents them in time-sensitive immigration matters, where adequate notice and the chance to reschedule can shape the outcome of a child’s case.
Guided by our faith’s call to welcome the stranger and honor the dignity of every person, LSSNCA urges the administration to follow the order fully and to ensure that every unaccompanied child has adequate notice, time to prepare, and access to legal counsel.
About LSSNCA: Since 1917, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area has accompanied those in need throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Press inquiries: media@lssnca.org.
