Higher deportation risk for migrant children? Thousands in the US face an uncertain future; here's who could be affected

A federal contract administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), funding legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children, expired on August 1, 2026.

The contract supported nearly 100 nonprofit legal organizations serving about 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children in the US.

The lapse could leave children without legal counsel in immigration court, hindering their ability to seek legal protections to remain in the US.

The change affects unaccompanied minors who entered the US before age 18 without a parent or guardian and have pending immigration cases.

Children with privately retained attorneys may be less directly affected, but advocates warn of broader strain on legal services.