No child should be expected to face an immigration court alone. But right now, thousands of unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S., some as young as four years old, are at risk of being forced to navigate complex legal proceedings without any legal help. Congress is once again threatening to end funding for the legal programs that stand between these children and deportation to danger.

Earlier this year, the government abruptly stopped covering legal aid for these children, leaving trusted organizations scrambling to lay off staff and abandon cases. Only after a judge intervened and ordered them to resume payments was some of that help restored. But now, instead of respecting that ruling, lawmakers are looking for another way to quietly strip children of the protection they desperately need.

These kids deserve support, not abandonment. Some are fleeing gang violence, trafficking, or abuse. Others have no family left in their home countries. For them, legal aid isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline. Without an attorney, most of these children will face a system they don’t understand, in a language they don’t speak, against trained government prosecutors.

Ending this funding isn’t just wrong. It’s cruel. It undermines due process, puts children in grave danger, and betrays the values we claim to stand for as a country.

We demand that Congress protect and preserve legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children. Every child deserves a fair chance and a safe place to grow. Don’t take that away.

Photo: Imprint News