Join the groundswell of lawyers fighting to protect due process.
Thousands of kids are fighting for their futures, alone. Unaccompanied children arrive in the United States seeking safety from desperate conditions in their country of origin. Many even begin their journey with their parents, only to be separated along the way. America’s immigration system does not meet their courage with compassion. Instead, teens and toddlers are treated like criminals. They are denied guaranteed legal representation and forced to do the impossible: defend their case in immigration court all alone against trained adult lawyers, no matter how young they are.
Lawyers employed in the Unaccompanied Children Program provide free representation to break this cycle of injustice. If you feel called to do something in this moment of heightened attacks on immigrant rights, there’s an organization in your city who needs a lawyer like you to fight to protect due process. Explore our provider map to get involved.
Why we need lawyers like you:
258,000
There are currently 258,000 unaccompanied children with pending immigration cases.
7x
With legal representation, unaccompanied kids are 7x more likely to receive an outcome to remain in the United States than those without an attorney.
1 in 137
To achieve universal representation, every free or low cost immigration lawyer in America would need to represent 137 children each.
Alice Lima Lovchik,
former personal injury lawyer
As an immigrant myself, I wanted to represent immigrants in removal proceedings and help them navigate the complexity of the U.S. immigration system. I work with children detained in ORR custody and it is rewarding to ensure that they are not alone when facing removal proceedings.
Jim Milstein,
former public defender
As a public defender, I was always frustrated to meet adults who would have been granted immigration relief as a minor if they had been able to find a lawyer. I find working with unaccompanied children allows me to continue to appear in state courts in which I am most experienced.
Alexa Sendukas,
former litigation associate
I enjoy representing unaccompanied children because they deserve an advocate who will fight for them and help them navigate the incredibly challenging immigration system. Now I get the opportunity to support these youth with so much potential as they create bright futures.
Ready to explore a career representing unaccompanied children? Check out the amazing organizations in the Unaccompanied Children Program, or sign up to learn more about opportunities near you.