rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/children-must-have-lawyers-in-immigration-court?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-children-must-have-lawyers-in-immigration-court' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> National Campaign for Justice https://actionnetwork.org/groups/just-strategy https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg The federal government is putting children through deportation proceedings without lawyers to protect them. Children who arrived in the United States without a parent or guardian are expected to answer a judge’s questions, understand their legal options, and make decisions that can send them out of the country. A New York Times investigation documented a 7-year-old agreeing to leave the country without legal representation and a judge directing an unrepresented 1-year-old to submit an asylum application. In another case, a 13-year-old was ordered deported after the judge identified a potential form of protection that would require a lawyer to pursue. The Trump administration let a major contract for children’s legal services expire in July amid a dispute over demands for information that providers said was protected by attorney-client confidentiality. Temporary arrangements have left many children without an attorney who actually represents them. A neutral courtroom adviser cannot replace a lawyer responsible for defending a child. Congress must guarantee qualified, independent legal representation for every child in immigration proceedings, with federal funding when a child cannot obtain counsel. Lawmakers must also protect attorney-client confidentiality and prohibit children’s cases from moving forward without representation and adequate time to prepare. No child’s safety or future should depend on their ability to act as their own lawyer. Click “START WRITING” to sign and send a message demanding Congress guarantee children legal representation in immigration court now. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/children-must-have-lawyers-in-immigration-court