Biden-Appointed Judge Blocks Trump Admin from Cutting Legal Aid for Migrant Children

A federal judge in California has stepped in to halt the Trump administration’s decision to terminate funding for legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children, raising significant questions about the legality of the move.

Appointed by President Joe Biden, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday, pausing the administration’s efforts to end the funding until the underlying case is resolved. This development could impact thousands of vulnerable children.

The Trump administration had terminated a contract on March 21 with the Acacia Center for Justice, which oversees legal services for unaccompanied minors through a network of subcontractors. Eleven of these subcontractor groups filed a lawsuit, arguing that 26,000 children might lose access to legal representation. Acacia itself is not part of the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs have invoked the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, asserting that the law obligates the government to ensure legal counsel for vulnerable migrant children. Some children, they noted, are too young or too traumatized to represent themselves in a complex immigration system. One can only imagine the chaos of a toddler trying to handle their own legal defense—yikes.

Judge Martínez-Olguín, in her ruling, emphasized that legal representation for these children supports efficiency and fairness in the immigration process. Her order restores funding to the status quo, at least temporarily, while the case proceeds.

This marks the third legal setback for the Trump administration’s immigration policies in less than a week. While these rulings are temporary, they highlight the contentious and high-stakes nature of immigration reform.

Meanwhile, the government argued that taxpayers shouldn’t bear the cost of direct legal aid for migrant children, especially during budget-tightening measures. Jonathan Ross from the Department of Justice pointed out that organizations could still provide pro bono legal services and that the government continues to fund legally required activities, such as "know your rights" clinics.

Acacia has since secured a new contract to provide legal orientations, but the plaintiffs clarified that they are not seeking to reinstate the previous contract. Instead, they advocate for Congress-approved spending of $5 billion to ensure children have legal representation.

Judge Martínez-Olguín’s order, effective Wednesday morning, will remain in place until at least April 16.