confirmed this week that it has lost funding for its Immigrant Justice Program, which represents unaccompanied minors facing immigration proceedings.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services terminated its contract with the D.C.-based Acacia Center for Legal Justice. The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy was set to receive $900,000 in funding through Acacia to provide legal services for unaccompanied minors 鈥� children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian.
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy can still provide "Know Your Rights" clinics to its clients, but will no longer represent unaccompanied minors in immigration court.
鈥淲hen I think about all the children that we represent, I think about the uncertainty that they must feel and the confusion that they must be experiencing right now," Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy's Cristina Cer贸n said.
Cer贸n said if a child is not represented, they are approximately 90% more likely to lose their case and receive an order to be removed from the U.S.
The funding cut affects more than 300 active cases.
