HHS Lapses Old Contract As It Plans $150 Million Texas Firm Deal For Migrant Children
HHS allowed a federal legal-services contract with Acacia Center for Justice to expire on July 31, jeopardizing access to lawyers for tens of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children.[1]
The department is moving to award about $150 million to a small Texas law firm to represent those children, a step critics say could worsen the disruption.[2]
The lapsed contract covered Acacia and nearly 100 subcontractors, and its expiration immediately left many providers without federal funding.[1] Advocates say the lapse forced Estrella del Paso to shut its unaccompanied-children program, lay off 13 employees, and manage 243 active cases.[1] Acacia proposed a transitional contract to HHS to help hand off existing cases to new providers and was awaiting the department's response as of Thursday, August 6.[1]
A federal judge in California ordered the administration last year to keep funding these services, but officials withheld funds for months despite that order.[1] An HHS spokesperson said the Office of Refugee Resettlement is pursuing multiple acquisition options and reiterated that unaccompanied children need legal representation.[1] Advocates added that Congress has never fully funded the statute requiring that unaccompanied children receive legal aid "to the greatest extent practicable," a gap the lapse exposed.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- The federal legal-services contract with Acacia Center for Justice and nearly 100 subcontractors expired on July 31, 2026, immediately jeopardizing access to lawyers for tens of thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children (Acacia Center for Justice).
- Advocates say the lapse forced the Texas nonprofit Estrella del Paso to shut its unaccompanied-children program, lay off 13 employees, and left the group managing 243 active cases (Estrella del Paso).
- Acacia Center for Justice has proposed a new transitional contract to HHS to help hand off existing cases to new providers and, as of Thursday, August 6, 2026, was awaiting the department’s response (transitional contract).
- A federal judge in California ordered the Trump administration last year to keep funding these services, but the administration has withheld funds for months despite that order (a federal judge in California).
- An HHS spokesperson said the Office of Refugee Resettlement is 'pursuing multiple acquisition options' and reiterated that unaccompanied children need legal representation (Office of Refugee Resettlement).
- Children’s advocates emphasize that Congress had never fully funded the statutory requirement that unaccompanied children have access to legal aid 'to the greatest extent practicable,' a gap highlighted by the current interruption (children’s advocates).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The federal legal-services contract with Acacia Center for Justice and nearly 100 subcontractors expired on July 31, 2026, immediately jeopardizing access to lawyers for tens of thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children.
- Advocates say the lapse has already forced at least one Texas nonprofit, Estrella del Paso, to shut its unaccompanied-children program and lay off 13 employees, after exhausting its savings; the group reports 243 active cases it is still trying to manage.
- Acacia has proposed a new transitional contract to HHS to help hand off existing cases to new providers and, as of Thursday, August 6, 2026, is awaiting the department's response.
- The article notes that a federal judge in California ordered the Trump administration last year to keep funding these services, but the administration has withheld funds for months despite that order.
- An HHS spokesperson said Monday that the Office of Refugee Resettlement is 'pursuing multiple acquisition options' and reiterated that unaccompanied children need legal representation.
- Children’s advocates emphasize that, even before this interruption, Congress had never fully funded the statutory requirement that unaccompanied children have access to legal aid 'to the greatest extent practicable.'