New York allocates $7.25 million for legal aid to over 1,400 unaccompanied migrant children

Governor Kathy Hochul, joined by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Attorney General Letitia James, announced that New York will allocate $7.25 million to provide legal representation for an estimated 1,400 unaccompanied migrant children in removal proceedings, with about 250 of them currently detained. The funding arrives after the Trump administration allowed a contract with a network of roughly 100 providers serving migrant youth nationwide to expire last month.

Hochul condemned the federal lapse as "cruel" and illegal, citing the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which obligates the government to supply counsel in such cases. She stressed that the state will not stand by while the federal government leaves these children vulnerable to exploitation and deportation. The announcement dovetails with Hochul’s intensified campaign against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as she seeks a second term, including threats to counties that resist sanctuary policies. The investment aims to ensure that children crossing alone receive the legal support mandated by law.