Unaccompanied immigrant children arrive in the United States alone because they are fleeing violence, abuse, trafficking, or are seeking to reunite with family.
An unaccompanied child is defined under U.S. law as someone who is under the age of 18 and entered the United States without lawful status and without an accompanying parent or legal guardian.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act recognizes children’s vulnerability and mandates special care and protections for children when they arrive in the United States alone. Yet, these children are not provided court-appointed counsel in the immigration court system, even as they face a government-funded prosecutor. This due process gap puts them at risk of exploitation, trafficking, and rapid deportation back to harm if they are unable to find lawyers.
The National Immigrant Justice Center is a leading legal service provider defending the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children.
NIJC’s legal team helps children understand their rights and navigate complex legal processes to apply for lawful status and defend against deportation.
In March 2025, the Trump administration abandoned approximately 26,000 children nationwide when it ended federal legal services programs for unaccompanied youth. These cuts came as the administration renewed attempts to violate federal child protection laws by detaining children in prison facilities and allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use children as bait in enforcement operations against their parents and sponsors.
Now more than ever, NIJC’s legal services are a lifeline for children seeking safety in the United States. Support from state and local governments and private funders are critical to sustain these services.
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