Legal aid organizations are regaining access to immigration courts and detention centers after the Trump administration rescinded a controversial order that had halted federally funded legal programs. This decision, announced on Sunday, comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed by nine nonprofit groups that provide legal assistance to detainees, including minors facing deportation.
The Department of Justice’s abrupt reversal of the “stop-work order” issued on January 22 was met with relief from legal aid advocates who had been fighting to restore their services. The administration provided little explanation for this change, which occurred just days after the lawsuit was initiated in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The suit challenged the legality of the order that had suspended legal aid programs, arguing it undermined due process for individuals in immigration proceedings.
Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, one of the organizations involved in the lawsuit, described the decision as a significant victory for legal rights and an obstacle to the administration’s efforts to diminish protections for immigrants. The legal aid programs offer crucial support, including help desks in busy immigration courtrooms across major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, as well as legal information for families detained in facilities across twelve states.
The earlier suspension of these programs was justified by the administration citing a directive from President Trump that instructed Cabinet members to pause funding for contracts and grants providing services to undocumented immigrants. The executive order aimed to terminate contracts deemed wasteful or fraudulent.
Attorneys representing the nonprofit groups argued that Congress had already allocated $28 million for these legal services, and the abrupt cessation of funding was an unjustified attack on the immigration system that deprived detainees of essential legal information.
Federal District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss, who is overseeing the case, has requested confirmation from government attorneys that full access to detention facilities has been restored. As of now, the legal aid organizations are preparing to resume their services, ensuring that detainees receive the legal support necessary to navigate the immigration process effectively.