# Senators Demand End to HHS Child Deportation Lawyers

> Democratic senators urge Trump to stop using HHS lawyers for unaccompanied minors in deportation court.
- Title: Senators Demand End to HHS Child Deportation Lawyers
- Summary: Democratic senators urge Trump to stop using HHS lawyers for unaccompanied minors in deportation court. Democratic senators demand rescission of Trump…
- Keywords: senators, hhs, unaccompanied minors, deportation, child rights, immigration policy, congressional letter, robert f kennedy jr, health and human services, immigration court, Demand, End
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/democratic-senators-duckworth-durbin-warren-markey-schiff-wyden-letter-rfk-trump-attorneys-deportation-unaccompanied-minors-legal-conflict-interest
- Author: Samantha Michaels
- Published: 2026-10-19T17:04:57+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: senators, hhs, unaccompanied minors, deportation, child rights, immigration policy, congressional letter, robert f kennedy jr, health and human services, immigration court
## Democratic senators write letter
Democratic senators sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging him to rescind a new policy they say violates unaccompanied immigrant children's rights.
## Policy change for unaccompanied minors
Under the policy, unaccompanied minors would be represented in court by HHS lawyers instead of independent attorneys, creating a conflict of interest.
## Senators' concerns
The senators wrote that the immigration judge works for the Trump administration, so would the child’s lawyer under the policy, calling it unacceptable.
## HHS legal division created
HHS quietly created a new division to handle legal representation for unaccompanied minors, bypassing independent attorneys.
## Conflict of interest
HHS holds children in custody, decides where they live, and shares information with immigration enforcement, making it impossible for HHS to also be their lawyer.
## Contract changes
The Trump administration let the Acacia Center for Justice contract expire and awarded it to Burke Law Group, a firm with ties to Trump.
## Burke Law Group withdrawal
Burke Law Group pulled out of the contract after facing backlash, leading to a temporary arrangement with Our Rescue.
## Virtual hearings
Immigration judges are fast-tracking cases, requiring virtual hearings even when children could attend in person.
## Child rights concerns
Advocates say HHS lawyers would not prioritize children’s best interests, especially those wrongly detained or abused.
## Key takeaway

Democratic senators demand rescission of Trump administration policy that assigns HHS lawyers to represent unaccompanied immigrant children in deportation proceedings.