A Houston-based law firm with ties to the Trump administration has declined a $150 million federal contract to provide legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children facing deportation. Meanwhile, a high-profile anti-trafficking organization previously marred by executive misconduct allegations has been awarded a separate contract worth up to $244 million to advocate for them.
The developments come amid growing uncertainty over who will represent thousands of vulnerable children in U.S. immigration courts following the expiration of long-standing federal legal aid contracts.
Burke Law Group Turns Down $150 Million Contract Offer
The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), confirmed that the Burke Law Group declined to pursue the government offer.
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„Burke Law Group has declined to apply and has not been awarded any grant,” the ORR stated in an official release regarding the $150 million contract.
In a brief statement posted to social media, the firm noted it had considered applying for a „small portion” of the contract but did not elaborate on why it opted against moving forward.
The firm’s founder, Marcella Burke, previously served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as an attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Interior. Other notable figures at the firm include former Trump appointee Justin Shubow and conservative legal scholar Ilya Shapiro. Despite the firm’s legal profile, its website lists fewer than 30 attorneys, with only two possessing documented immigration law experience.
The contract offer was initially extended after the administration allowed a major legal aid agreement—handled by the Acacia Center for Justice across nearly 100 provider organizations—to expire.
$244 Million Contract Awarded to ‘Our Rescue’
Amid the transition, the federal government awarded a contract worth up to $244 million to Our Rescue, a Sandy, Utah-based anti-child-trafficking organization.
- Organization Background: Formed as Operation Underground Railroad, the group gained national prominence through the 2023 film Sound of Freedom.
- Past Controversies: Founder Tim Ballard resigned from the organization in 2023 following allegations of misconduct and lawsuits from multiple women accusing him of abuse.
- Current Leadership: The group is now headed by CEO Derek Benner, a former senior official at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
„These are among the most vulnerable children in the world, and they deserve nothing less than the full weight of our experience,” said Our Rescue CEO Derek Benner following the contract announcement.
Courtroom Confusion and Legal Battles Over Funding
Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, the U.S. government is legally obligated to ensure legal representation for unaccompanied minors placed into deportation proceedings. Currently, roughly 1,800 children reside in federal shelters, while another 22,000 live with outside sponsors—such as family members—while navigating immigration courts.
Key Operational and Legal Developments:
- Temporary Coverage: A temporary $20 million contract running through December was granted to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). However, attorneys appearing unannounced in court created confusion among immigration judges and existing legal representatives.
- Lawsuits Over Unpaid Fees: Legal aid providers whose contracts expired previously filed suit against the federal government over months of withheld payments.
- Court Rulings: On August 6, a California federal judge ordered the government to disburse back payments to the providers.
Representatives from the Acacia Center for Justice confirmed that the government has begun processing payments covering six of the nine months of back pay owed to legal aid organizations.
