Judge orders release of federal funds for legal aid to undocumented children

U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued an emergency order compelling the release of federal money earmarked for legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children. The ruling enforces a preliminary injunction she issued last April that required the Office of Refugee Resettlement to fund nationwide representation. At the hearing, Community Legal Services and co-plaintiffs argued the Department of Health and Human Services had been withholding the funds since December, leaving asylum cases without counsel.

Government attorney Zachary Cardin claimed the delay stemmed from unmet data requests, which plaintiffs said included confidential information. Martínez-Olguín rejected the government’s stance, stating it cannot withhold funds while demanding further data, and ordered the money to be disbursed by Friday with a certification of compliance. The order follows a 2025 contract termination that threatened legal aid for roughly 26,000 children, despite a congressional appropriation of over $5 billion for FY2024.