Trump-linked Texas firm backs out of proposed $150 million migrant children legal deal

Houston firm exits proposed $150M award

A small Houston law firm will not receive a proposed federal award of up to $150 million to provide legal services for unaccompanied migrant children in government custody.

DBurke Law Group withdrew from consideration on August 11 after its selection drew scrutiny over the firm’s limited immigration experience and ties to the Trump administration. The Office of Refugee Resettlement formally withdrew its proposed award on August 17 and said it would continue seeking ways to provide legal services for eligible children.

Burke withdrew before the planned start

The Office of Refugee Resettlement originally proposed a single-source cooperative agreement with Burke Law Group running from August 15, 2026, through August 14, 2027.

The planned services included legal orientation, consultation, and attorney representation for eligible children in federal care, along with limited help connecting children with legal resources after release. Burke withdrew from consideration on August 11, before the proposed agreement took effect.

Proposed award was single-source

ORR’s original proposal called for a single-source cooperative agreement of up to $150 million rather than an openly competed award. The agency had selected Burke Law Group directly to provide the planned legal services.

The proposal was intended to expand legal-service capacity for eligible children in federal custody. Burke later withdrew from consideration, and ORR formally canceled its planned award.

Immigration experience raises questions

Burke Law Group is a Houston-based firm with about 25 lawyers listed on its website when the award became public. Only two biographies described relevant immigration-law experience.

Many other attorneys at the firm focus on corporate, regulatory, constitutional, or litigation work. That staffing mix has fueled questions about how quickly the firm can handle a large immigration caseload.

The founder has administration ties

Firm founder Marcella Burke previously served in President Donald Trump’s first administration at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior.

Other lawyers at the firm have conservative legal or policy backgrounds. Those connections have intensified scrutiny, although political ties alone do not establish that the award was improper or that any rules were broken.

A national legal network just ended

Until recently, federally funded legal help for unaccompanied migrant children was coordinated through the Acacia Center for Justice and a nationwide network of nearly 100 legal-service providers. That contract expired July 31 after years of providing legal orientation and direct representation.

The replacement system remains in transition. Burke Law Group withdrew from the proposed $150 million award, while the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants received temporary funding through the end of the year, and Our Rescue received a separate legal-services contract worth up to roughly $244 million.

Federal law requires legal support

Federal law requires the government, to the greatest extent practicable, to ensure unaccompanied children have counsel in immigration proceedings. The children are not automatically guaranteed government-paid lawyers in every case.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement funds legal services that help children understand immigration proceedings, receive confidential legal consultations, and obtain direct representation in qualifying circumstances.

Little-known fact: About 26,000 unaccompanied children may lose free legal help when the federal contract expires.

Thousands of children need legal help

About 1,800 unaccompanied children were living in government shelters, and roughly 22,000 more facing deportation proceedings were living with outside sponsors, according to legal-service providers cited by the Associated Press.

The withdrawn Burke proposal would have focused primarily on eligible children remaining in federal care, with limited post-release legal continuity support. Federal officials are now using other arrangements to provide legal services while questions remain about long-term coverage for children both inside and outside shelters.

Providers report payment disputes

Legal aid providers have also complained about unpaid work and requests for detailed information about their clients. Some lawyers say professional ethics prevent them from sharing certain confidential material.

These disputes have added uncertainty to a changing system. Providers argue that payment delays and data requests can make it harder to maintain representation for children with active cases.

Faster hearings add more pressure

Attorneys have reported faster immigration schedules for children, including groups of cases called in quick succession. Advocates argue that shortened preparation time can make experienced representation even more crucial.

The administration has defended efforts to move cases efficiently. Critics counter that children may struggle to understand proceedings when lawyers have little time to investigate facts, gather records, or prepare arguments.

Courtroom confusion raises concerns

Confusion also surfaced in courtrooms after outside attorneys appeared, saying they had been asked to help children who lacked representation. In some cases, the children already had lawyers.

Attorneys questioned why unfamiliar lawyers had received names and identifying numbers from the government. The episodes raised fresh concerns about coordination, privacy, and who was authorized to handle specific cases.

Officials say capacity must expand

Federal officials originally described the proposed Burke award as a way to expand legal-service capacity while meeting statutory responsibilities and a federal court order. Burke’s withdrawal means the government is now relying on other organizations as it rebuilds the system.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement says it continues pursuing ways to provide legal services for eligible unaccompanied children. Current questions center on whether the replacement arrangements can provide sufficient expertise, coverage, and continuity.

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The legal-services transition continues

The controversy now centers on how the federal government will provide consistent legal services across a complex national system after Burke Law Group withdrew from the proposed $150 million award.

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has received temporary funding through the end of 2026, while Our Rescue received a separate contract initially worth about $158 million that could rise to roughly $244 million. Questions remain about staffing, case coverage, and continuity for children who previously relied on the nationwide legal-aid network.

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What do you think about a Texas firm with Trump ties landing a $150 million contract for migrant children’s lawyers? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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