Every October, legal organizations across the country participate in the National Celebration of Pro Bono, recognizing the important role pro bono attorneys and volunteers play in advancing access to justice. For CILA, this celebration has particular significance.
Unaccompanied immigrant children and youth face an extraordinarily complex legal system, rapidly changing policies and procedures, and potentially life-altering consequences. Having a dedicated attorney by their side can make an enormous difference in a child’s ability to understand the process, make informed decisions, and pursue available forms of legal protection. This year, that need is especially urgent.
Unaccompanied children have lost critical access to their dedicated attorneys due to the administration ending a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice, leaving more young people without legal support to navigate immigration proceedings. At the same time, children continue to face a complicated, rapid-paced immigration system where the stakes are high. For example, missing a deadline, misunderstanding a court requirement, not receiving notice of a hearing, or navigating a legal claim without an attorney can have serious consequences.
The need for pro bono attorneys and other volunteers willing to step in has therefore become even greater. According to Vera’s Immigration Court Legal Representation Dashboard (last updated in August 2026), more than 780,000 children were facing deportation in immigration court in the past 12 months. Over 57 percent of these children had no attorney. At this critical moment, the pro bono community has an important role to play in helping ensure that children do not have to face the immigration system alone.
CILA and the ABA Commission on Immigration’s “Unaccompanied Minors in Immigration Court: The Critical Role of Legal Representation” discusses how legal representation can change both a child’s immigration case and their experience navigating the legal system. Attorneys can help young people understand their rights and options, prepare their cases, comply with court requirements, and connect with other forms of support. Yet far too many children continue to navigate immigration proceedings without an attorney.
During this year’s National Celebration of Pro Bono, CILA recognizes the attorneys, advocates, and volunteers already giving their time and expertise and invites others to join them as champions for immigrant youth.
CILA’s Pro Bono Initiatives: Helping Attorneys Get Involved
CILA’s Pro Bono Initiatives make it easier for attorneys and other volunteers to get involved in supporting immigrant children.
Through our pro bono platform, Pro Bono Matters for Children Facing Deportation, CILA connects interested volunteers with pro bono opportunities around the country. CILA also provides resources and trainings specifically designed for pro bono attorneys and volunteers, as well as resources and opportunities for connection for pro bono coordinators at legal service organizations.
Attorneys of from all practice areas and backgrounds can make an impact and help an immigrant child. You could be their advocate who can help them understand what is happening in their case at a time when access to legal services is increasingly uncertain.
Join CILA’s Pro Bono Training!
As part of this year’s National Celebration of Pro Bono, CILA is hosting a free, virtual ethics CLE training for attorneys interested in learning more about children’s immigration law and getting involved in pro bono representation.
Webinar: Representing Immigrant Youth: Practical and Ethical Considerations for Pro Bono Attorneys
Date and Time: Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 1:00–2:30 p.m. CT
During this 90-minute webinar, CILA attorneys will provide information about immigrant youth in removal proceedings and the critical need for pro bono representation before walking participants through 10 common scenarios that arise when representing immigrant children.
The training will offer practical guidance for working on children’s immigration cases and explore ethical considerations involved in representing young clients. Participants will learn about topics including the attorney-client relationship, communicating effectively with child clients, and attorney competence.
With the changing immigration landscape and growing gaps in access to legal services, now more than ever, immigrant children need knowledgeable advocates by their side.
Register for the training here.
Thank you to the Houston Bar Foundation for your support. This training, “Representing Immigrant Youth: Practical and Ethical Considerations for Pro Bono Attorneys” was made possible by a grant from the Houston Bar Foundation. More information on the Houston Bar Foundation and its Fellows Program can be found at http://www.houbf.org/.