Catholic Charities Calls for Reinstatement of Legal Representation for UnaccompaniedChildren

Catholic Charities Calls for Reinstatement of Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children

February 20, 2025 — To protect vulnerable young people from harm and ensure their rights, Catholic Charities of Baltimore is calling on the Trump administration to reinstate funding allocated by Congress to provide legal representation to unaccompanied migrant children.

On Tuesday, the administration issued a directive immediately halting legal assistance for unaccompanied migrant children. This decision affects more than 26,000 young people under the age of 18 who had been receiving support from government-funded attorneys, including the more than 200 cases for approximately 150 unaccompanied children currently served by Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services.

The stop-work order for these services endangers vulnerable children at risk of trafficking and abuse. Many of these young people will now have to confront the complicated immigration system without legal resources.

“The decision to remove this protection and critical support for children is devastating,” said Bill McCarthy, executive director. “Legal counsel and guidance are crucial for navigating our immigration system, especially for children who are the most vulnerable.”

Helping clients as they seek to obtain, extend or retain lawful immigration status or citizenship has long been a key service provided by Catholic Charities, McCarthy explained, adding: “This service is now in danger. We must reconsider this action.”

Immigration Legal Services at Esperanza Center was founded in 1994 to provide low-cost legal counseling and representation in humanitarian and family-based immigration matters. As one of the largest nonprofit immigration legal services providers in the state, ILS serves individuals from more than 150 different countries who reside in Maryland or have immigration cases in Maryland. ILS assists clients and their family members seeking to obtain, extend, or retain lawful immigration status or citizenship in the United States.

“We are profoundly concerned about our children who will now be in jeopardy of having to fend for themselves in an extremely complex legal process,” said Matthew Dolamore, director of Esperanza Center. “This order represents the rejection of the call to action to love our neighbors and welcome strangers. We can and must do better for our kids.”

Catholic Charities urges Marylanders to contact their lawmakers to demand change. To find your representative, click here.

About Catholic Charities of Baltimore

Catholic Charities of Baltimore is Maryland’s largest private provider of human services, with more than 80 programs in 200 locations. Inspired by the gospel mandates to love, serve, and teach, Catholic Charities is committed to a Maryland where each person has the opportunity to reach his or her God-given potential. Catholic Charities was established in 1923 and focuses on the key causes of Achieving Independence, Welcoming New Neighbors, Empowering Careers, Supporting Children & Families, Healing Trauma & Addiction and Aging with Dignity. Today, Catholic Charities is a family of more than 1,600 talented and dedicated colleagues, supported by nearly 4,000 selfless volunteers, and more than 10,000 generous donors. This Catholic Charities community includes people of all faiths, ages, and ethnicities, and together, they touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals and families each year. www.cc-md.org

About Esperanza Center, a program of Catholic Charities of Baltimore

The Esperanza Center is a comprehensive resource center whose mission is to welcome immigrants by offering hope, compassionate services, and the power to improve their lives. Since 1963, immigrants from all over the world have trusted the center to help them navigate life in a new country. Dedicated staff and volunteers provide services related to education, health care, immigration legal matters, family reunification, and general community support to thousands of immigrants each year. www.cc-md.org/programs/esperanza-center/

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