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Jayapal accuses Trump admin of intimidating immigration lawyers
The congresswoman said Congress had approved funding for legal representation of unaccompanied immigrant children on a bipartisan basis.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 13, Jun 2026
- 14:01 EDT
- 48
Pramila Jayapal / File Photo
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal on June 12 accused the Trump administration of attempting to intimidate legal service providers representing unaccompanied immigrant children.
In a statement, Jayapal said she was “outraged” by reports that federal authorities had targeted legal aid groups funded by Congress to provide representation for unaccompanied immigrant children.
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“I am outraged by reports that the Trump Administration has attempted to raid the offices of legal service providers serving unaccompanied immigrant children,” Jayapal said.
She noted that Congress had approved funding for nonprofit organizations providing legal services to such children on a bipartisan basis, saying, “Congress authorized funding to these nonprofits to serve unaccompanied children. We passed it on a bipartisan basis, recognizing that one of the best ways to protect these children is to ensure they have legal representation,” she said.
Jayapal described unaccompanied children as among the most vulnerable individuals in the immigration system and accused the administration of undermining protections for them. She cited efforts to cancel funding for attorneys representing children and policies that she said keep children in detention.
I am outraged by reports that the Trump Administration has attempted to raid the offices of legal service providers serving unaccompanied immigrant children.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) June 12, 2026
We cannot allow this behavior to go unchecked. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/ejS4qmlBpA
“From attempting to cancel funding for lawyers representing children to implementing cruel policies to keep children in detention, it’s clear that Trump will go to any length to undercut protections for these children,” she said.
The congresswoman also linked the reported actions against immigration legal service providers to broader concerns about the use of federal law enforcement powers.
Referring to reports that the FBI had raided an Ohio voting rights organization and visited the homes of its leaders and staff, Jayapal said the developments raised concerns about intimidation by federal agencies.
“These reports of intimidation by the federal government are especially concerning,” she said, adding that she believes the administration is using federal tools to target individuals and groups that disagree with it.
“As the Trump Administration leverages the tools of the Federal government to go after those who disagree with him, we cannot allow this behavior to go unchecked,” Jayapal said.
She pledged to pursue accountability, saying, “I intend to do everything in my power to rein in this lawlessness and hold these agencies accountable.”
The statement came after several nonprofit legal organizations said agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General visited their offices in the Washington, D.C., area seeking access to financial records related to their government-funded legal services programs.
The organizations said the agents did not present warrants or subpoenas and were denied access.
Among the groups reporting visits were the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Ayuda and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), all of which provide legal assistance to migrant children who arrive in the United States without a parent or guardian.
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