Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the case of Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, et al. vs. United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al. The brief opposes the Trump Administration's decision to terminate funding for legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children.

The coalition is urging the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a preliminary injunction issued by a district court. They argue that ending federal funding for legal representation harms efforts to ensure the safety of unaccompanied children.

"Unaccompanied children arriving in this country are some of the most vulnerable people in our legal system," Nessel stated. "Without legal representation, many may be forced to appear alone in court, unable to defend their rights. Denying them that support shouldn’t be a policy choice."

In 2024, approximately 750 unaccompanied children were released to sponsors in Michigan. These children become community members and students and eventually form families of their own. Research indicates that prolonged time in immigration custody negatively affects children's physical and mental health.

The amicus brief emphasizes three main points: federal law recognizes the importance of providing legal representation to unaccompanied children; terminating federal funding will lead to significant gaps and shortfalls; and without access to multidisciplinary support, unaccompanied children will face long-lasting harm.

Attorney General Nessel is joined by attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.