A notice from the federal government has impacted how advocacy groups can provide legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children in Tennessee.
Yesterday evening Advocates for Immigrant Rights (AIR), a subgrantee of the Acacia Center for Justice, was notified by the organization that a “stop work order” had been issued. The center, which helps support unaccompanied youth migrants through legal aid, provides funding to AIR for children in Tennessee.
In a letter addressed to the Acacia Center, the United States Department of the Interior said the group must “stop all work” associated with a contract between them and the department.
“This sudden decision cuts off legal services that help ensure due process for these kids, leaving 26,000 children across the U.S. vulnerable to deportation and potential harm,” AIR said in a statement.
Casey Bryant, executive director of AIR, said through their contract with the Acacia Center, they’ve accepted 200 cases. Bryant said the stop work order advises them to stop all work on their cases.
“This creates a serious quandary for us as attorneys who have a legal and ethical obligation to represent clients who we’ve agreed to represent,” Bryant said. “We’re representing them through universal representation.”
Bryant explained through this process they agree to be their client’s attorney for “anything that they need that has to do with their immigration proceedings.” They added this agreement lasts until the client receives legal status.
The population of unaccompanied immigrant children represent “some of the most vulnerable people in the country,” Bryant said. As a result, they don’t have access to immigration proceedings or representation in court.
Bryant said they are not changing the way they represent their clients at this point; however, they’re hoping they can reach a resolution through litigation. Even if there is no plan for the contract between the Acacia Center and AIR to be extended, Bryant hopes they can receive funding to represent their current cases.
“We’ve agreed to representation; we’ve already entered our appearance with the courts,,” Bryant said. “The courts are relying on us to provide representation. It’s impossible for us to not do work on these cases.”
This recent order is the newest addition of those issued by the Trump administration that targets immigrants including acts of mass deportations, family separation, and expansions of detention centers.
“We’re moving towards a dictatorship where a select group of people gets to make decisions about the way that we live and move through the country,” Bryant said. “I don’t think the Trump administration and these decisions speak for the people of the United States. He’s being influenced by big money, and they are making decisions to make this country — and the state — inhospitable to people who they don’t want to be here. That’s not how we as a country act or believe.”
Bryant mentioned they believe that governors like Bill Lee who have voiced their support for Trump’s mission and policies are “riding on the coattails of whatever authoritarianism the president and government are enforcing.”
“It’s not benefitting the people of Tennessee,” Bryant said. “It doesn’t benefit the people of Tennessee to act like this and to treat people who are residents, who pay taxes, and who add to the diversity and fabric of our communities.”
