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Legal Orientation Program for Custodians of Unaccompanied Children

In 2010, EOIR launched the Legal Orientation Program for Custodians of Unaccompanied Children (LOPC) to provide legal orientation presentations to the adult caregivers (custodians) of unaccompanied children in EOIR removal proceedings.

The purpose of this program is to inform the children’s custodians of their responsibilities in ensuring the child's appearance at all immigration proceedings, as well as protecting the child from mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking, as provided under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008. EOIR works with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement, and non-government partners to carry out this program nationally.

Specifically, the LOPC educates custodians on:

  • The immigration court process and how it works
  • The importance of the children’s attendance at removal hearings and consequences of failure to appear
  • The forms of immigration relief available to children in removal proceedings
  • The custodians’ responsibility to protect the children from mistreatment, exploitation, and human trafficking

The LOPC also assists interested custodians in locating pro bono counsel for the children in their care and addresses other non-legal social service needs of custodians caring for immigrant minors.

EOIR oversees the LOPC through a contract with the Acacia Center for Justice and local subcontracting legal service organizations to provide program services as well as manage the LOPC National Call Center and the Call Center - West. Please contact the Office of the Director, Legal Access Programs at EOIR.LegalAccessPrograms@usdoj.gov for further information.

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Updated March 24, 2023