A nonprofit providing legal representation for migrant children in Washington state has laid off most of its in-house attorneys and is planning to close its Seattle office next month.
This decision comes even after a legal challenge temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from cutting funding for these crucial services.
Kids in Need of Defense, or KIND, currently assists over 400 unaccompanied children and youth across the Pacific Northwest, according to Jessica Castallenos, the managing director of KIND’s Seattle office.
“My entire team was laid off, except for three attorneys to remain for the next month to wind down cases – which means withdrawing from hundreds of children’s cases and telling hundreds of children that they do not have attorneys,” Castallenos stated during a Seattle City Council meeting earlier this month.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KIND operates in 14 U.S. cities, with Seattle being one of its key locations.
The organization’s website currently lists 22 employees working out of Seattle, which is set to officially close on May 23.
Castallenos mentioned that attorneys at KIND directly represent approximately 300 minors.
The nonprofit provides a range of essential services to children, from applying for asylum to assisting with medical care.
Additionally, KIND partners with other attorneys to offer pro bono representation for migrant children.
“We are withdrawing from almost 250 children’s cases,” Castallenos reported.
“Only 55 of those cases will remain, and that is because the City of Seattle – due to OIRA’s investment in the representation of unaccompanied children and immigrants in general,” she added.
Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) does provide some funding to support legal representation for children in immigration proceedings.
KIND President Wendy Young released a statement emphasizing that the organization is collaborating with its network of pro bono attorneys to find ways to support cases in Seattle and throughout the country moving forward.
“While it is deeply unfortunate that the administration has chosen to walk away from the government’s long-standing commitment to supporting these critical services for children, we are doing all we can to ensure their continued access to legal representation and due process,” Young expressed.
The closure of KIND’s Seattle office follows the recent decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to end a contract on March 21 with Acacia Center for Justice.
Acacia Center collaborates with a network of human rights organizations, including KIND, to provide legal aid to over 26,000 unaccompanied migrants under the age of 18 nationwide.
Some organizations that partner with Acacia Center have since filed a federal lawsuit, claiming that cuts to the Unaccompanied Children Program violate a 2008 law designed to protect migrant children from trafficking.
Recently, a judge granted a temporary restraining order, reinstating funding while the legal challenge continues; however, uncertainty remains.
The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is listed as a plaintiff in this lawsuit.
Officials with NWIRP informed Northwest Public Broadcasting that they are currently not accepting new clients, as the recent order has not restored funding for their legal aid services.
In the midst of this situation, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a national nonprofit that supports refugee and immigrant families, currently handles 145 children’s cases in the region.
Janet Gwilym, managing attorney for children’s legal services at IRC’s Washington state branch, shared that her organization is working to manage its current caseload while also coping with the ongoing case regarding federal funding cuts.
“It’s just very, very stressful because we don’t know – even when something comes down from the courts – how it will really affect the actual action on the ground,” Gwilym stated.
The impact of KIND’s closure is creating a ripple effect throughout the community.
KIND previously conducted “Know Your Rights” presentations and legal screenings for children who are detained or in custody under a separate contract that has not been canceled.
Now, this responsibility has fallen to other organizations.
“So KIND was the only provider giving legal services to that population in the state,” Gwilym noted.
She also mentioned that her organization has been requested to take over responsibilities for these children.
“That includes background checks and training for staff to get authorization to access those facilities,” Gwilym explained.
She has been in contact with staff from KIND and NWIRP to discuss how the three organizations can support one another during this challenging time.
“But, you know, it’s just impossible to take on all the cases from KIND,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, the city of Seattle is contemplating a resolution that would allocate an additional $300,000, divided between its Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and an immigrant community defense fund to address the federal cuts.
However, if the resolution passes, funds would not be available immediately; instead, the city would have to appropriate them during the budget process.
At a recent city council meeting, members and immigrant rights advocates acknowledged that while this funding would help efforts to provide legal assistance for unaccompanied children, it remains a small fraction compared to the overwhelming need.
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