Federal Judge Demands Action on Legal Aid Funding for Migrant Children in El Paso

A federal judge in California has given Estrella del Paso and other nonprofits a week to negotiate with the federal government regarding over $765,000 in owed reimbursements for legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children. Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguín expressed concerns over the Trump administration's compliance with a 2025 injunction that mandates continued funding for such legal representation. Estrella del Paso, part of a coalition that filed a lawsuit, has halted accepting new minor clients and is operating on dwindling cash reserves. The situation is critical as the organization serves vulnerable children, some as young as eight months, amidst rising deportation threats and a lack of resources.

Key Details: • Deadline for negotiations with the federal government is within seven days. • Estrella del Paso has stopped accepting new clients due to funding issues. • The organization serves approximately 40,000 people annually in immigration cases. • Nearly 1,800 children were in Office of Refugee Resettlement care as of June. • Senator Ron Wyden criticized the government's handling of vulnerable children.