Migrant Kids Are Losing Their Lawyers

The federal government owes nearly $1 million to Estrella del Paso, the largest provider of free legal services to unaccompanied migrant children in West Texas and New Mexico — and it isn't paying up.  On this episode of The Raid, host John Carlos Frey sits down with Executive Director Melissa Lopez to break down how the administration tried to terminate a 20-year-old, congressionally mandated legal aid program, lost in federal court, and is now allegedly conditioning payment on providers handing over confidential client information about the children they represent.  With reimbursements frozen since November 2025 and a contract deadline looming on August 1, Estrella del Paso and 90+ partner organizations nationwide are fighting in federal court to keep the program alive. Lopez lays out what's at stake if they lose: children facing deportation, alone, with no attorney and no advocate.  https://estrelladelpaso.org/ https://theraidpodcast.org/ Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed by the host or participants on this program are solely their own and do not necessarily represent those of the distributor of the program and any person or entity affiliated with said distributor ("distributor's affiliates").  The distributor and distributor's affiliates are not responsible for, and shall not be liable for, the statements and opinions expressed by the host or participants, or for any content that appears on the program.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.