Advocates say recent immigration court changes are fast-tracking deportations of unaccompanied children, including those with trafficking or abuse claims. A lawsuit filed by Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh and six clients alleges judges are being pressured to deny time for SIJ and T status applications and that juvenile dockets are being compressed. Plaintiffs cite specific cases—such as a Guatemalan trafficking survivor and a Vietnamese youth with approved SIJ—who were nonetheless ordered removed. The suit also highlights the end of a contract that funded attorneys for more than 20,000 unaccompanied children, leaving many without counsel.
Lawsuit Alleges Trump-Era Push Is Accelerating Deportations Of Unaccompanied Children
A Department of Justice sign is posted outside immigration courts at the Jacob K Javits federal building in New York City on 31 July 2026.Photograph: Michael M Santiago/Getty Images
The Trump administration is being accused in a federal lawsuit of deliberately targeting unaccompanied children for rapid removal from the United States, even when many may qualify for legal protections, according to court papers shared with the Guardian.
Allegations and Plaintiffs
The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on behalf of Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh (JFCS) and six of its immigrant clients. It alleges that immigration court procedures have been changed to accelerate hearings and pressure judges to issue removal orders rather than allow time for children to pursue relief such as Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification or T nonimmigrant status for trafficking survivors.
“This case is about the most vulnerable in our immigration system: abused, abandoned, neglected, and trafficked children,” the complaint states. “Protecting vulnerable and trafficked children conflicts with an agenda of ‘deport at all costs.’”
Agencies Named
The suit names the Department of Justice (which oversees immigration courts through the Executive Office for Immigration Review, EOIR), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
How Protections Are Being Affected
Unaccompanied children frequently arrive having experienced trafficking, domestic violence, or other severe harm. Congress created pathways—most notably SIJ and T status—to protect such young people. Those processes can take months or years because of agency backlogs and visa quotas, so immigration judges have historically granted time or stayed removal to allow applicants to pursue relief.
According to the complaint, those judicial practices have eroded: hearings are being rescheduled on days' notice, juvenile dockets have been compressed to biweekly sessions, and court staff have allegedly indicated that judges who grant children additional time may be penalized. JFCS says it was told the court intends to complete the juvenile docket by November 2026.
Examples From the Complaint
The filing cites multiple individual cases. One, identified by initials FYCT, is a 17-year-old trafficking survivor from Guatemala who received a determination from the Department of Health and Human Services' trafficking office that she was subjected to a “severe form of trafficking in persons” and has applied for T status. Despite that finding and her T application, the Philadelphia immigration court ordered her removal; she is appealing.
Another client, KTN, a 19-year-old from Vietnam, fled severe abuse and had an SIJ approval in May. Yet a July immigration court order nevertheless directed his removal—a decision that could prevent him from obtaining the green card the SIJ pathway can provide.
Broader Context and Concerns
The lawsuit was filed as the federal government ended a contract that funded attorneys for more than 20,000 unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings—a change JFCS says leaves many minors without counsel. Advocates report that some court calendars now begin as early as 7:45 a.m. and run into the evening, raising concerns about whether children are able to participate meaningfully in their hearings or access necessary breaks for meals and rest.
JFCS leaders and immigration advocates warn that rapid scheduling, removal orders for minors with qualifying determinations, and the loss of legal representation put vulnerable children at real risk of being sent back to dangerous situations.
Responses
EOIR declined to comment beyond a spokesperson's statement. DHS told Pittsburgh’s Public Source that ICE is working to prevent trafficking and that the administration is “laser-focused on protecting children,” asserting that “all illegal aliens receive due process.” The lawsuit disputes that the current practices provide meaningful protections for trafficked or at-risk children.
What Happens Next: The complaint seeks to halt what plaintiffs describe as imminent deportations and to restore practices that allow children time to pursue SIJ or T relief. The case will proceed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where the court will consider the allegations and requested remedies.
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