Trump administration plans government lawyers for unaccompanied migrant children

The Trump administration has announced a plan for its own lawyers to represent unaccompanied migrant children in immigration court. Those lawyers would face other administration attorneys seeking to deport the children, placing both sides of their cases within the administration.

The new attorneys will work within the Department of Health and Human Services, in the Unaccompanied Alien Children Legal Representation Division. The department did not answer questions about when the attorneys would begin their work.

Immigration advocates say the arrangement could create a conflict of interest. Announced last week in the Federal Register, it follows the administration's decision this year to end a contract with independent nonprofits after that network refused to disclose privileged information about its young clients.

Immigration advocates point to the existing structure of the courts in explaining their concern: immigration judges work for the Department of Justice, while deportation attorneys work for the Department of Homeland Security. They worry that placing children's defense lawyers inside government would further undermine independence.