Washington, D.C. – The UFW Foundation condemns the Trump administration’s immediate, near-total termination of the Unaccompanied Children Program services with the Acacia Center for Justice. Acacia provides legal help to migrant children entering the country without a parent or guardian, which is currently estimated to be 26,000 children who are due to be heard at an immigration court.

This termination of service will have far reaching impact on legal services for migrant children, including services offered by the UFW Foundation. Under U.S. law, immigrants are not guaranteed a right to free legal representation, which makes services from organizations such as Acacia all the more necessary.

Erica Lomeli Corcoran, the UFW Foundation Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Leaving children alone to defend themselves against trained government attorneys is unconscionable. Many have suffered abuse, been victims of trafficking or fled life-threatening situations. The laws are meant to protect these vulnerable children, protect all children.

The UFW Foundation strongly condemns the cruel and callous move to terminate critical, life-saving legal services for children who are seeking humanitarian protections. This termination shows that this administration has no respect for due process. It also shows the administration’s slash-and-burn destruction, now targeting the most vulnerable among us, despite the Unaccompanied Children Program being mandated by Congress and having bipartisan support for decades.

The UFW Foundation is committed to doing all we can to not abandon our minor clients affected by this termination. We call on the public to join us in reminding Congress to not abandon these children and common-sense measures meant to protect the safety of all our children. We stand committed to defending children seeking protections and defending basic values like due process, compassion, and dignity.”

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The UFW Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, advocates for labor rights and protections for farm workers across the U.S. and provides educational outreach and critical services such as serving as one of the largest providers of immigration legal services to low-income rural California communities. For more information, visit https: www.ufwfoundation.org.