Trump’s Attacks On Local Service Providers Target Immigrants - Including Unaccompanied Children
The Trump administration’s anti-immigrant agenda isn’t just about border walls and mass raids—it’s also an assault on the local organizations that provide critical services to immigrant communities, including unaccompanied children. The latest Immigration Hub memo details how Trump’s policies are dismantling these nonprofits, cutting off resources, and threatening legal action against those who provide assistance.
This attack is part of a broader effort to coerce states and localities into enforcing Trump’s mass deportation agenda. His administration is stripping funding from immigrant-serving nonprofits while his allies in Congress push the "No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act," a bill designed to penalize entire communities if local leaders refuse to comply with his anti-immigrant mandates. If passed, it would gut funding for public transit, school lunches, disaster relief, and domestic violence shelters—punishing residents regardless of their immigration status. Together, these policies make it clear: Trump is using economic threats to force local governments into becoming extensions of his deportation machine.
Defunding and Legal Threats to Local NGOs
In a sweeping executive order issued this month, Trump directed federal agencies to review and potentially revoke funding for NGOs that assist immigrants. This move is already affecting programs like the Shelter and Services Program, which has provided millions to local groups offering housing and support to recently arrived immigrants. Many of these organizations rely on federal grants to operate, meaning that funding cuts will not only hurt immigrant communities but also destabilize local economies and social services.
At the same time, Attorney General Pam Bondi has escalated legal threats. A February 5 directive from the Department of Justice (DOJ) suspends funding for nonprofits unless they certify compliance (meaning re-direct local resources) to federal immigration enforcement. Another DOJ memo instructs prosecutors to use anti-“harboring” laws to criminally charge organizations that provide aid to undocumented individuals—an aggressive tactic designed to intimidate service providers into shutting down.
Restricting Legal Representation for Immigrants – Even Kids
Alongside defunding and legal intimidation, Trump’s administration is restricting immigrants’ access to legal representation. The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has issued directives making it harder for legal service providers to assist immigrants in court. New rules block organizations from providing language access and general legal guidance, creating additional barriers for immigrants seeking to navigate the system. Without legal aid, many immigrants—especially asylum seekers—will face deportation simply because they lack the resources to defend themselves.
For unaccompanied children, who have often survived targeted violence, abuse, abandonment, persecution or trafficking, this means that no matter their age, they will be forced to represent themselves alone in immigration court. In a press call earlier this week, Susan E. Reed, Director of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) explained the direct impact of Trump’s attack:
“We bring teddy bears and a playhouse version of the courtroom for some of our youngest clients because it’s always overwhelming to attend a deportation hearing. To think that a child who needs a teddy bear to feel safer in court could lose her lawyer overnight is a shocking departure from the most basic ideas we have about justice and due process. MIRC represented a ten-month-old baby- the youngest child taken from a parent during the family separation crisis – and successfully reunited him with his family through the unaccompanied children’s program in 2018, along with hundreds of other kids brought to our state. To see the same group of vulnerable children targeted again is the gravest injustice.”
A Broader Strategy to Undermine Local Institutions
These attacks on nonprofits align with the administration’s broader effort to weaken local institutions that support immigrant communities. Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary localities and service providers goes hand-in-hand—both are designed to erode trust, disrupt support systems, and force local governments to act as federal immigration enforcers.
This strategy isn’t new. Republican-led states like Texas have already been targeting immigrant service providers. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued organizations that shelter and assist migrants, demanding they turn over records and internal communications. These lawsuits are clear intimidation tactics meant to force groups into compliance—or out of existence.
The Consequences for Communities
By targeting local NGOs, the Trump administration isn’t just harming immigrants—it’s undermining entire communities. Many of these nonprofits serve a broad range of residents, providing essential services such as food assistance, housing aid, and workforce training. Stripping their funding and intimidating them with legal threats hurts working families, local economies, and public safety.
Moreover, these attacks risk breaking the trust between immigrant communities and local institutions. Research shows that cities are safer when immigrants trust local organizations and law enforcement. When fear keeps people from seeking help, reporting crimes, or engaging with their communities, public safety suffers.
Fighting Back
Despite these threats, local organizations are pushing back. Annunciation House in El Paso, which was sued by Texas officials, has successfully challenged legal actions against it in court. In places like California and Seattle, lawmakers continue to invest in immigrant services, showing that local governments can stand up to federal overreach.
The No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act is just the latest attempt to force communities into submission. Instead of letting local governments make decisions based on what works best for their residents, Trump is holding entire cities hostage—threatening to pull funds from schools, transportation, disaster relief, and even domestic violence shelters unless they agree to help carry out his deportation agenda.
With Trump’s immigration policies growing more extreme, protecting immigrant-serving organizations is now a critical front in the fight for immigrant rights. The administration’s end goal is clear: make life so difficult for immigrants that they leave. But local communities and legal advocates are proving that they won’t back down. The question is whether Congress and other leaders will step up to protect these vital organizations before it’s too late.