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Original Date Announced
August 6, 2026The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) announced its intent to award a single-source cooperative agreement of up to $150 million to Burke Law Group, a Houston-based law firm, to provide legal services for unaccompanied children in ORR custody. Under the proposed award, Burke Law Group would provide legal orientation, legal consultation, and attorney-of-record representation for eligible children in proceedings before EOIR and USCIS while children remain in ORR care. The award also funds limited post-discharge legal continuity planning and referral support as children exit ORR care.
The proposed period of performance is August 15, 2026 to August 14, 2027. ORR cited statutory mandates under the TVPRA and compliance with a preliminary injunction in Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto v. HHS, No. 4:25-cv-02847 (N.D. Cal.), as authority for expanding legal representation capacity.
Trump 2.0 [ID #2353]
2026.08.06 DHHS - Announcement of the Intent To Award a Single-Source Cooperative Agreement to Burke Law Group, PLLC in Houston, TexasEffective Date
August 15, 2026Subsequent Trump and Court Action
August 11, 20262026.08.11 Burke Law Group - Statement on ORR Contract
Burke Law Group released a statement on the proposed $150 million award from ORR. It clarified that it was only considering applying for a “small portion of that amount,” and that it has since decided not to apply for a grant or a contract and has withdrawn from consideration.
View DocumentCurrent Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: Final/ActualTrump Administration Action: Agency DirectiveSubject Matter: Hearings and Adjudications MinorsAssociated or Derivative Policies
- February 18, 2025 Trump administration issues stop-work order for legal service providers representing unaccompanied minors
- April 11, 2025 Trump administration allows contract with Acacia Center for Justice, provider of legal services for unaccompanied migrant children, to expire
- August 7, 2026 HHS awards $244 million contract for unaccompanied children to Our Rescue
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
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Commentary
2026.08.05 AP - $150M contract for migrant kids’ lawyers goes to a Trump-linked Texas firm
AP reports on the proposed award to Burke Law Group, a small firm with ties to President Trump and other conservative causes. It explains that only 2 out of the 25 lawyers on the firm's website have any immigration experience, and that the "single source cooperative agreement" means that the administration picked the firm without the standard bidding process. Other legal aid organizations that have previously represented unaccompanied minors warn that the move could make children more vulnerable to deportation.
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