Almost 600 children in Pennsylvania, many fleeing abuse or persecution, are being forced to navigate the immigration court system without legal representation, according to immigrant advocacy groups.

Recent federal funding cuts have left more than 26,000 unaccompanied minors nationwide without legal aid.

Cathryn Miller-Wilson, executive director of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society-Pennsylvania, said federal funding unexpectedly stopped four weeks ago, leaving attorneys without support to help migrant children in shelters in Bethlehem and northwestern Pennsylvania.

"All work, except for the 'Know Your Rights' work - which is the going out to the shelter and just educating the kids about the Know Your Rights work - that was the only work that was supposed to be maintained," Miller-Wilson explained. "No more representation of any kind could be done, or at least wouldn't be paid for by the federal government."

Miller-Wilson noted Acacia Center for Justice received a notice stating it could keep up the Know Your Rights visits for six more months but provide no legal representation. A lawsuit led to a temporary order restoring legal services until a hearing on April 16 to determine whether the temporary order will become permanent.

Miller-Wilson pointed out there are some remedies -- like Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, 'T' visas for trafficking victims, and 'U' visas for victims of certain crimes -- but it can take months or even years to secure temporary legal status. In her view, government support for such children is not only a moral obligation but also an investment in saving an entire generation.

"The funding is an investment in their future," Miller-Wilson contended. "We represent them. They get status, they get to go to school, they get jobs, they pay taxes, they have spending power and they become part of the American fabric."

She added her group helps people with incomes of less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Level with legal and social service needs. She argued targeting immigrants, of any age, does not make economic sense for the country, as there is overwhelming evidence the nation's economic strength and well-being are deeply connected to immigrants.

Immigrant rights advocates are calling on state leaders to do more to protect Washington farmworkers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including the release of Alfredo 'Lelo' Juarez Zeferino.

Zeferino is a farmworker and well-known union organizer who was detained by ICE in March.

Liz Darrow, participatory democracy coordinator for the Washington-based advocacy group Community to Community Development, which advocates for workers' rights, said there has been increased ICE activity since March and wants state government to take action.

"We really want the governor and the attorney general to take an active role in providing for the public a better picture," Darrow explained. "Because we really can't tell what's going on unless workers or their families reach out to us."

The Trump Administration said ICE raids are targeting criminals but critics pointed out migrants with legal status and no criminal history are also being detained. Darrow noted Zeferino has no criminal record.

Brenda Bentley, movement building coordinator for Community to Community Development, said one immigrant in Washington was taken by ICE as he was leaving church with his family. She added agents have been seen parked outside elementary schools.

"It's also a really chilling effect in the community because people are afraid to drive anywhere to do the basic necessities that they need to do," Bentley observed.

Zeferino has been detained for about two months and the charges against him are unclear. Darrow believes he was targeted because he has spent years publicly organizing farmworkers to improve working conditions.

"We see Lelo organizing all over the state and all over the country to try to help workers gain things like overtime and safety rules from heat stress and wildfire smoke," Darrow noted.

Darrow's organization is calling for Gov. Bob Ferguson to continue to enforce the "Keep Washington Working Act," which restricts local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws.

State lawmakers in Arizona are considering legislation to mandate hospitals to ask patients whether they are in the country legally.

Rep. John Gillette, R-Flagstaff, noted while the proposal includes a provision to let patients know their answer would not affect the type of care they receive or lead to any immigration enforcement, it is a needed measure to collect information on the effect undocumented immigration is having on the state's health care system, including the state's Medicaid program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, commonly referred to as AHCCCS.

"Right now in Yuma County, there's 1,676 people receiving some type of benefits on AHCCCS from the same address, but we don't know who they are and we don't know where they live," Gillette stated. "We just know they have the same address, but we haven't been provided that access. This bill aims to do that."

Gillette explained the bill is intended to track Medicaid spending with the purpose of uncovering if taxpayer dollars are being used to treat those who are not in the U.S. legally. Opponents of the measure argued it could deter patients from seeking and accessing essential medical care. The legislation is headed to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs' desk.

Rep. Mariana Sandoval, D-Yuma, fears the bill could have unintended consequences and the data collected could be used for ulterior motives. Republicans have modeled the legislation after a similar Florida law which highlighted the cost of undocumented migrants to the state.

Sandoval pointed out the legislation is not taking place in a vacuum.

"They conveniently overlook that undocumented workers contribute significantly to the state and local taxes," Sandoval emphasized. "These workers contributed an estimated $766 million in combined state and local taxes, just in 2022 alone."

Sandoval contended the bill would directly target those who she called some of Arizona's hardest working and vulnerable residents such as agricultural, hospitality and construction workers. She added hospitals should remain places of healing, not become ports of entry.

While Gov. Ron DeSantis touts "Operation Tidal Wave" as a success, advocates for Florida's immigrant families say the crackdown is tearing them apart - and ignoring their legal rights.

In a Thursday news conference at Miramar's ICE facility, where immigrants routinely report on their cases, officials celebrated the operation - even as community members now fear detention for keeping appointments.

Cuban mother Heidy Sanchez was deported after checking in and forced to leave her 1-year-old U.S.-citizen daughter behind, according to Renata Bozzetto, deputy director of the
Florida Immigrant Coalition.

"Heidy was just like every other immigrant going to that facility in Miramar to do what she was told to do - to present herself, follow the rules and be in constant contact with ICE agents - only to be trapped and deported," she said, "and that is absolutely heartbreaking."

Bozzetto said many immigrants who comply with ICE check-ins are being swept up. DeSantis claimed the operation has led to a 63% arrest rate of people with prior criminal convictions, but Bozzetto argued the state is obscuring the real impact - of families torn apart, workers disappearing from jobs, and U.S. citizens caught in the dragnet.

The operation has also raised concerns about racial profiling and what critics see as the state's disregard for court orders. Bozzetto pointed to constitutional violations and the lack of information about the 1,120 people Operation Tidal Wave claims to have taken into custody.

"When these stories are not given to us with the detail and the transparency that they deserve, we have various questions," she said, "including, did these individuals have the right to due process?"

Florida's aggressive approach includes its embrace of what are known as 287-G agreements, which allow local law enforcement to act as federal immigration agents. DeSantis has called these a key tool in immigration enforcement.


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