Stripping the contracts of experienced lawyers is dismantling vulnerable children’s safety net, critics say, increasing their chances for deportation. An unaccompanied minor from Honduras was stopped by Border Patrol agents after she crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into Texas in 2021.John Moore / Getty Images fileAug. 20, 2026, 5:30 PM EDTUnaccompanied migrant children facing deportation lost their legal representation after Trump tore up contracts with their non-profit and legal aid defenders. Now the administration is recruiting active and retired military lawyers as replacements.Just a moment.We are getting your experience ready.