UNITED STATES: Over 425,000 Children Face Deportation Courts Alone, DOJ Data Shows
More than half of children with deportation orders are going to immigration court without a lawyer, according to Department of Justice figures.
President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown has drawn attention for ICE’s aggressive enforcement and reports of poor conditions in detention centers. But the legal struggles of children in the system have gotten less focus.
Of 751,861 children with pending removal cases, 57% – about 425,093 – are representing themselves, Drop Site News reported Friday, citing DOJ data.
“The scale is alarming,” said Neil Agarwal, principal data scientist at the Vera Institute of Justice, which led the analysis.
The Department of Homeland Security said it couldn’t confirm Drop Site News’ numbers.
“All undocumented immigrants get full due process,” a DHS spokesperson told _The Independent_. “ICE provides every person arrested with a court-approved list of free or low-cost attorneys. Those in detention can use phones to contact lawyers.”
The spokesperson added: “What’s truly alarming is the 450,000 unaccompanied children who crossed the border under the Biden administration. Many were placed with unvetted sponsors, some of whom turned out to be smugglers and traffickers. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS has located 146,000 of those children.”