The Office of Refugee Resettlement intends to award a $150 million no-bid contract to Burke Law Group.
The Houston-based firm, co-founded by former President Donald Trump appointee Marcella Burke with only two immigration attorneys, will represent approximately 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children, The Washington Post reported.
In a social media post, Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) called the award "corruption," noting the firm's lack of qualifications.
The contract was awarded after the Trump administration allowed the previous legal representation contract to expire, leaving roughly 24,000 children without guaranteed counsel.
Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, argued the firm was "clearly unqualified." He noted Burke's limited experience and compared it to former contractors' nearly two-decade careers.
Ben Johnson of the American Immigration Lawyers Association emphasized, "Children facing deportation deserve experienced counsel focused on their clients’ best interests, not lawyers operating under a system clouded by questions about political connections, qualifications, and government interference."
Legal representation significantly affects immigration case outcomes, particularly for children.
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