The Department of Health and Human Services revealed plans to award a multimillion-dollar contract to a small Texas law firm, tasking it with representing thousands of immigrant children as they face immigration court proceedings.
HHS’s refugee resettlement division — charged with overseeing unaccompanied undocumented children — had a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice that was not renewed after expiring last Friday. The federal government had a fraught relationship with Acacia, including attempting to terminate its legal contract last March and withholding funding for months. Nonprofits have sued to get the agency to pay invoices dating back to December totaling roughly $65 million, the groups announced last week.
On Thursday, Acacia said its legal teams had defended more than 20,000 children despite not being paid. In a Tuesday statement before the new contract was published, the organization said it was “adamant” whoever took over the contract must have “deep experience” with the country’s immigration system.