The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $158 million no-bid contract to Our Rescue, a Utah-based anti-human trafficking organization, to provide legal services for unaccompanied migrant children. A notice of the award was posted Friday, according to agency records. Our Rescue, formerly known as Operation Underground Railroad, stated it assists law enforcement with sting operations and rescues trafficking survivors.
The contract follows the July 31 expiration of a previous agreement with a coalition of nearly 100 legal nonprofits that had been providing similar services. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a division of HHS, reported that the new contract with Our Rescue is scheduled to run for six months, effective from August 7 through February 6, 2027. During the transition, ORR said it has utilized the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants to provide representation for children in its care.
The selection of Our Rescue has drawn criticism from former providers. Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, stated that the organization lacks expertise in providing legal services to children and questioned the impact on the minors involved. Lukens noted that his nonprofit and others stopped applying for contracts after the administration requested confidential child data that the groups argued was protected by attorney-client privilege. Our Rescue is currently led by CEO Derek Benner, a former official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the group's founder, Tim Ballard, was removed from the organization following allegations of sexual exploitation, which he denied.
The move introduces a significant shift in how legal aid is administered for this population. Previously, services were managed by a broad network of specialized legal nonprofits. Under the new arrangement, a single organization that primarily focuses on anti-trafficking operations and law enforcement stings will oversee the $158 million budget. This averages to approximately $87,777 in contract value per child currently in HHS custody for the six-month period, though the funding also covers the administrative costs of managing legal support. Critics like Lukens suggest the transition may disrupt the continuity of care, while the administration maintains it is meeting its commitment to ensure every child has representation.
The decision also reflects a recent pattern of the administration seeking new partners for immigration legal work. Before the Our Rescue contract, the government had intended to award $150 million to Burke Law Group, a Texas firm with ties to former administration officials. That firm withdrew after reports highlighted its primary focus on environmental and regulatory law rather than immigration. The current contract with Our Rescue is a temporary "gap-filler" measure according to some observers, but it establishes a precedent for using anti-trafficking groups for courtroom representation. The contract is set to expire in February 2027, at which point the government must determine whether to renew the agreement or seek new providers.