A Houston-based law firm with ties to the Trump administration has declined a $150 million federal contract to provide legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children in U.S. custody, federal authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The Burke Law Group was offered the contract by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, to serve as a primary provider of legal services for migrant children traveling alone. The agency had previously allowed a key contract with nearly 100 providers working with immigrant children to expire at the end of July without a replacement.
The ORR stated in an emailed response that Burke Law Group declined to apply and has not been awarded any grant. The firm had earlier posted on social media that it had considered applying for a "small portion" of the contract but did not provide further explanation for its decision.
Current representation remains uncertain
Unaccompanied migrant children in federal custody are currently being temporarily represented by another provider, whose contract is set to expire in December. The ORR did not specify how legal representation will be handled after that date, nor did it explain why Burke Law Group declined the offer.
Firm’s background and affiliations
The Burke Law Group, founded by Marcella Burke, has limited experience in immigration law. Marcella Burke previously served in the Trump administration as a lawyer with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior. The firm’s roster also includes Justin Shubow, a former Trump appointee to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and a supporter of the administration’s push for classical architectural styles in federal buildings, as well as Ilya Shapiro, a prominent conservative legal scholar listed as senior counsel.
Broader policy context
The contract offer came amid the administration’s ramping up of mass deportation efforts and the expiration of a prior contract that had supported nearly 100 providers assisting immigrant children nationwide. The ORR oversees the federal program responsible for the care and legal representation of unaccompanied migrant children, a population that has grown significantly in recent years due to migration patterns from Central America and other regions.
Federal officials have not indicated whether the contract will be reoffered to another firm or if alternative arrangements will be made to ensure continued legal representation for migrant children in custody.