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A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate legal funding for migrant children who come to the U.S. alone
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The ruling Wednesday temporarily blocks the administration's order from last month. Non-profit group said the funding cut could cause thousands of children to lose access to their attorneys
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give them a disadvantage in immigration proceedings, and more likely to get deported
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The government argued the funding was discretionary, and it was not required to provide the children with legal representation
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but the judge said ending the funding meant the government potentially violated its duty to protect children from human trafficking
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The nonprofit cited a 2008 anti-human trafficking law, which states the government must, to the greatest extent, practicable, provide legal representation to minors
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According to the group's complaint, children represented by the nonprofits arrived in the U.S. to escape violence and poverty
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and most do not speak English and cannot afford hiring a lawyer
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children who have lawyers attend to hearings 95% of the time, while those without representation attend only 33% of the time, according to the American Immigration Council
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The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the care of migrant children, has yet to comment on the temporary ruling
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The order will expire on April 16th, followed by a final decision by the court
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