HOUSTON — A Houston law firm has withdrawn from consideration for a federal contract to provide legal representation to unaccompanied migrant children in immigration court, the firm and the Office of Refugee Resettlement said Wednesday.
Burke Law Group said it had considered helping address a gap in legal services but decided not to apply for the grant or contract.
“We have decided not to apply for a grant or a contract, and we withdraw from consideration,” the firm said in a social media post.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement confirmed that Burke had withdrawn and said the firm had not received an award.
“On August 4, 2026, a Federal Register Notice was published to share ORR’s intent to enter into a cooperative agreement with Burke Law Group, PLLC, a private law firm with a strong geographic presence in Texas,” an ORR spokesperson said. “Burke Law Group has declined to apply and has not been awarded any grant with ORR.”
The Federal Register filing had indicated that the firm could receive up to $150 million through a no-bid contract to provide legal services to unaccompanied migrant children.
Burke, led by former Trump administration appointee Marcella Burke, said it had considered applying for only a small portion of the available funding to help address the humanitarian crisis.
The apparent selection of Burke drew concerns from advocacy groups after the filing became public.
The Acacia Center for Justice previously facilitated legal services for unaccompanied minors after receiving the federal contract in 2023.
ORR said it is working with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions to explore options for providing legal services to unaccompanied migrant children.
The agency said the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants will provide legal services through Dec. 31, 2026.
“ORR is committed to ensuring every UAC has legal representation in immigration court,” the agency said, adding that it began using USCRI on Aug. 5 to provide legal representation to all unaccompanied children in ORR care.