FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2026
CONTACT: press@acaciajustice.org and media@probar.org
HARLINGEN, Texas—Today, the Acacia Center for Justice and ProBAR issued the following statement because children in federal immigration custody in South Texas are losing access to one of the few remaining ways they can independently seek legal information and help after the expiration of the Unaccompanied Children Program.
When the Unaccompanied Children Program expired on July 31st, ProBAR launched the Detention Orientation & Resources for Youth (DORY) hotline to give unaccompanied children a direct way to ask questions about their immigration cases, understand court proceedings, and seek legal assistance. The hotline has provided children with legal screenings, court orientation, information about possible legal relief, advice and counsel, and, in some cases, representation.
But access to that lifeline is shrinking. When DORY launched in August, children called from 11 shelters across the region. By mid-September, calls were coming from just two facilities, even as overall call volume increased. ProBAR has received multiple reports from sponsors and children that some children are being told they are not allowed to contact the hotline.
Lauren Fisher Flores, of ProBAR, stated: “When ProBAR launched the DORY hotline in August, children were calling us from 11 of our 17 regional shelters. Today, we are only hearing from two. This aligns with reports we’ve received that children are not allowed to call. Even so, the total number of calls to DORY continues to rise. Children are still calling us asking for basic legal information about their cases. They tell us they are desperate, that they don’t understand what is happening, and that they can’t find help. Children deserve access to legal information, they deserve to understand what their options are, and they shouldn’t be left in the dark.”
Shaina Aber, Executive Director of the Acacia Center for Justice, stated: “No child should have to face our immigration system alone from immigration detention, unable to even contact a trusted lawyer for help. When children in government custody are trying to reach legal assistance, the answer cannot be to place another barrier in their way. These children are legally entitled to have the opportunity to understand their rights, ask questions about their cases, and seek legal counsel. Obstructing their access to independent legal support is a particularly egregious development in the ongoing policy decisions to deprive children of the protections mandated under the law. We demand the administration reverse course and let the children have access to legal assistance calls.”
For children facing immigration proceedings without an attorney, access to timely and independent legal information can be critical. Acacia Center for Justice and ProBAR are calling for children in government custody to be able to contact legal service providers and seek the legal help they need without unnecessary barriers.
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