Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 6
Trump-Linked Texas Firm Wins $150 Million No-Bid Contract for Migrant Children
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 6

Trump-Linked Texas Firm Wins $150 Million No-Bid Contract for Migrant Children

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 6

Summary

  • $150 million will go to a small Texas law firm under a no-bid federal contract to represent unaccompanied migrant children in immigration court, according to a Federal Register notice due Thursday.
  • The award followed the Trump administration's decision to let the previous contract with longtime provider Acacia Center for Justice expire, shifting the work to Burke Law Group.
  • Burke, a 26-employee Houston-area firm, is expected to handle cases for about 24,000 children through next August despite limited listed immigration-law expertise.
  • Legal aid groups have warned the switch could leave children more exposed to deportation, while a 2008 law requires counsel for unaccompanied minors.

Insights

How can a 26-employee boutique law firm suddenly manage a $150 million nationwide operation for vulnerable children?
What happens to thousands of unrepresented migrant children when their legal safety net vanishes overnight?
Will the government's demand for confidential client data permanently redefine attorney-client privilege in federal contracts?