Children, especially those arriving in the United States as unaccompanied refugees, are among the most vulnerable individuals in society. They deserve the utmost care and protection during their journey through the immigration process.
These young refugees typically do not choose to come to the United States on their own and should be safeguarded as they navigate the immigration system.
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Despite this, the current administration often perceives opportunities to benefit financially from taxpayer resources.
Recently, a law firm connected to Donald Trump received a $150 million no-bid contract to offer legal representation to unaccompanied refugee children, a decision made by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This contract is currently under investigation by a group of Senators.
Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) expressed their concerns to RFK Jr.:
We are troubled by the recent reports indicating that the Trump administration plans to award $150 million to a Houston-based law firm closely tied to President Trump, which lacks expertise in immigration law, to represent unaccompanied children. Given the political connections of the firm’s senior leaders with the Trump administration, we question why the competitive bidding process was bypassed to choose this firm for providing legal services to children in the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s custody. We demand transparency regarding whether all federal procurement procedures were adhered to. While children deserve skilled legal representation from attorneys versed in child welfare and federal immigration law, Americans are also entitled to know why their tax dollars are being allocated to Trump’s associates.
How did a law firm with no background in immigration law secure this contract? The Senators are seeking answers.
