UNICEF (The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) last month released a report on the number of unaccompanied children coming into the United States from Central America. According to the report, nearly 26,000 unaccompanied children were apprehended at the U.S. border in the first six months of 2016. The report also touches on the importance of legal representation for these children.
While unaccompanied minors apprehended in the U.S. are guaranteed an immigration court hearing, they are not entitled to a court-appointed attorney.
We discuss local efforts to represent unaccompanied immigrant children in deportation proceedings and how another wave of kids entering the country illegally is impacting those resources. We welcome your questions for Liz Shields, supervising attorney with the Houston-based nonprofit Kids In Need of Defense (KIND).