Independent experts alarmed by child rights violations in US immigration procedures

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN-appointed independent human rights experts have raised alarm over violations of children’s rights during US immigration procedures, nearly a year after federal funding for legal representation for unaccompanied minors was terminated. 

Thousands of children remain in custody without access to legal counsel; a situation the experts warn is forcing minors to navigate complex immigration proceedings alone and undermining their fundamental rights.  

The three Special Rapporteurs, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, said they are in contact with the US Government on the issue. 

Tweet URL

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=UN_News_Centre&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2016175243191103726&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.un.org%2Fen%2Fstory%2F2026%2F01%2F1166837&sessionId=c20eefe44e6a14af3f32636eb985fffeb218ee4a&siteScreenName=UN_News_Centre&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px

Duty to care 

They explained that under the 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), the US Office of Refugee Resettlement is responsible for the care and custody of unaccompanied children.  

The law requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect children from mistreatment, exploitation and trafficking in persons.  

It also guarantees that unaccompanied children in federal custody have access to legal counsel and should not be subjected to expedited removal – that is, deportation without a court hearing. 

Legal support ended 

The experts noted, however, that on 18 February 2025, the US Department of the Interior ordered nonprofit legal service providers to halt work and ended funding for attorneys representing unaccompanied children.  

Although the development has been challenged in the courts, many of the 26,000 affected children lost legal counsel and remain at risk of forced removal.  

Reports indicate that young migrants are being held in windowless cells, denied adequate medical care and separated from their parents or caregivers for long periods. 

In fact, between January and August 2025, average custody time rose from roughly one month to six, while releases to family caregivers dropped by more than half: from approximately 95 per cent to 45 per cent. 

Pressured or paid to self-deport 

“There have been consistent accounts of unlawful deportations of unaccompanied children, in breach of the obligation of non-refoulement, including child victims of trafficking, and children at risk of trafficking in persons,” the independent experts said.  

Children have been reportedly pressured to either accept a $2,500 cash payment to self-deport or face indefinite detention and transfer to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody upon turning 18. 

 The experts stressed that children should have access to administrative and judicial remedies against decisions affecting their own situation, or that of their parents or caregivers. 

Measures should be taken also to avoid undue procedural delays that could negatively affect their rights. 

 “Expedited proceedings should only be pursued when they are consistent with the child’s best interests and without restricting any due process guarantees,” they said. 

Independent voices 

The three Special Rapporteurs receive separate mandates from the UN Human Rights Council to report on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; the human rights of migrants, and the independence of judges and lawyers. 

They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.