Federal Funding Cuts Impact Michigan Immigrant Rights Center
The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) is grappling with the aftermath of significant federal funding reductions, leading to the dismissal of 72 staff members. This financial strain is the result of the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw support from two critical MIRC initiatives. These initiatives include an immigration help desk located at the Detroit federal court and legal assistance for unaccompanied migrant children.
Despite ongoing legal challenges and court orders to preserve funding, MIRC received notice on April 10, 2025, that the Immigration Court Helpdesk Program’s funding was terminated. According to a MIRC release, the organization had been under the protection of a court order following a January stop work order. Additionally, the contract supporting legal services for children in federal custody, which was terminated on March 21, 2025, has not been reinstated despite a temporary restraining order issued on March 27th.
Christine Sauve, a spokesperson for MIRC, explained that the organization sustained services as long as possible. “We did wait to see if the administration would follow the court orders, and they have not, and it just became financially untenable to continue,” Sauve stated.
MIRC intends to maintain the immigration help desk in various locations outside the courthouse and will continue handling cases involving unaccompanied minors already in their care. However, they will not accept new child clients.
The situation coincides with an increased need for legal representation for children. “The staff layoff notice comes at a time when children need attorneys the most,” MIRC highlighted. The administration is reportedly speeding up deportation proceedings, employing a “rocket docket” strategy that accelerates the process, potentially compromising due process and exposing children to risks such as trafficking and abuse.
Sauve emphasized the broader implications of losing federal funding for these programs, noting, “Overall, with the loss of the federal funding for both of these programs, it’s a major setback for due process and access to legal services for immigrants in Michigan.”
Through its efforts, MIRC has represented over 800 children in immigration court, the youngest being just 10 months old. Even with reduced funding, MIRC plans to continue its mission with 49 staff members across five offices in Michigan.
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