ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL DEFENDS ACCESS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL DEFENDS ACCESS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to the Trump administration’s abrupt termination of funding for legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children.

In their brief, filed in Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, et al. vs. United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al., Raoul and the attorneys general urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that the Trump administration’s termination of federal funding for legal representation endangers the rights and safety of unaccompanied children.

“Unaccompanied immigrant children are especially vulnerable without access to legal services,” Raoul said. “Holding these children in federal custody for prolonged periods of time further traumatizes them and does not represent the morals of the American people. States have a strong interest in helping unaccompanied children adjust and become members of our communities. I will continue to advocate with my fellow attorneys general for the health, safety and well-being of unaccompanied children in Illinois and across the country.”

The multistate coalition has a strong interest in protecting the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children, as many of these children will eventually be released to sponsors in their states. Forcing these children to spend prolonged time in federal custody will make it more difficult for them to thrive in their communities upon release. A robust body of research shows that prolonged time in immigration custody is particularly harmful for children’s physical and mental health and disrupts their development.

In the amicus brief, Raoul and the coalition urge the 9th Circuit to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that federal law recognizes the importance of providing legal representation to unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings. The termination of federal funding for legal representation for unaccompanied children will significantly strain legal services and legal service providers, resulting in funding and staffing shortfalls. Raoul and the coalition assert that unaccompanied children will experience various long-lasting harms without access to the multidisciplinary support and advocacy that legal representation provides.

Raoul was joined in filing the amicus brief by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.


Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to the Trump administration’s abrupt termination of funding for legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children.

In their brief, filed in Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, et al. vs. United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al., Raoul and the attorneys general urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that the Trump administration’s termination of federal funding for legal representation endangers the rights and safety of unaccompanied children.

“Unaccompanied immigrant children are especially vulnerable without access to legal services,” Raoul said. “Holding these children in federal custody for prolonged periods of time further traumatizes them and does not represent the morals of the American people. States have a strong interest in helping unaccompanied children adjust and become members of our communities. I will continue to advocate with my fellow attorneys general for the health, safety and well-being of unaccompanied children in Illinois and across the country.”

The multistate coalition has a strong interest in protecting the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children, as many of these children will eventually be released to sponsors in their states. Forcing these children to spend prolonged time in federal custody will make it more difficult for them to thrive in their communities upon release. A robust body of research shows that prolonged time in immigration custody is particularly harmful for children’s physical and mental health and disrupts their development.

In the amicus brief, Raoul and the coalition urge the 9th Circuit to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that federal law recognizes the importance of providing legal representation to unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings. The termination of federal funding for legal representation for unaccompanied children will significantly strain legal services and legal service providers, resulting in funding and staffing shortfalls. Raoul and the coalition assert that unaccompanied children will experience various long-lasting harms without access to the multidisciplinary support and advocacy that legal representation provides.

Raoul was joined in filing the amicus brief by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.


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