Trump Administration Awards $158 Million No-Bid Contract to Our Rescue

The Trump administration awarded a no-bid $158 million contract to Our Rescue, a Utah-based anti-human trafficking organization, to provide legal services for unaccompanied migrant children from August 7, 2026, to February 6, 2027. This move follows a period of instability after the federal government allowed a key contract with nearly 100 providers to expire in July without a permanent replacement.

Prior to the Our Rescue award, the administration attempted to secure the Burke Law Group, a Houston-based firm with ties to the administration, for a $150 million contract. The firm subsequently declined the offer. To manage the immediate gap, the government issued a temporary $20 million contract through December to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, though reports indicate its attorneys have caused confusion in immigration courts by claiming representation of children they have not yet met.

Critics, including Michael Lukens of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, argue that Our Rescue lacks the necessary legal expertise and claim the administration is intentionally creating chaos. Meanwhile, former providers, including the Acacia Center for Justice, sued the government over unpaid fees, leading a California federal judge to order payment on August 6. The Office of Refugee Resettlement maintains it remains committed to ensuring every unaccompanied immigrant child has legal representation.