The Trump administration has awarded a nearly quarter-billion-dollar contract to Utah-based Our Rescue, formerly Operation Underground Railroad, to coordinate legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children — a task the group is not known for providing.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the contract, worth as much as $244 million over up to five years, Friday.

Under the terms of the agreement, Our Rescue — which is now led by a former top official in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security — will be responsible for providing immigration-related legal services for some 24,000 children with pending cases.

Our Rescue has traditionally focused on combatting child trafficking, working on training and equipping law enforcement, although it has provided services for victims of trafficking, as well. The group’s website does not mention providing legal representation.

“Our Rescue is wholly unqualified,” said Michael Lukens, executive director of Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, one of nearly 100 entities that provide legal representation for the immigrant children. “They do not do this work; they do not have any immigrant defense attorneys; they don’t have a national network.”

A spokesperson for Our Rescue did not respond to questions about what, if any, legal work Our Rescue may have done in the past and referred questions about the scope of the contract to HHS, which did not respond.

“Our Rescue is steadfast on our mission to help vulnerable children across the U.S. and around the world,” Our Rescue CEO Derek Benner said in a statement. “Ensuring that Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) have access to qualified legal counsel and are protected from child exploitation and human trafficking fits squarely within this mission. These are among the most vulnerable children in the world, and they deserve nothing less than the full weight of our experience. We welcome this responsibility and are working on their behalf.”

Benner was the executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations and served in several other positions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement during President Donald Trump’s first term.

‘We Don’t Know What Happens Next’

In 2003, Congress passed legislation requiring HHS to provide legal counsel to unaccompanied immigrant children, but since last year the Trump administration has attempted to strip funding from the program. It stopped paying Acacia Center for Justice, the nonprofit that coordinated legal providers, last December and terminated the contract on July 31, a move that infuriated Democratic lawmakers.

“This is unconscionable. The Trump administration is inflicting cruelty on children as they pursue their radical and inhumane anti-immigration agenda,” U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said in a statement. Rather than targeting the “worst-of-the-worst,” she said, the administration was attempting to deport and deny due process to frightened children.

Catholic Community Services was the sole provider of legal representation to the undocumented children in Utah.

Lukens said the attorneys have continued representing their clients out of an ethical obligation. Last week, a federal judge ordered HHS to restore funding to the program.

Under the terms of the contract, Our Rescue would be responsible for arranging for qualified attorneys to consult with and represent all those children with pending immigration cases, including those in 204 government facilities across 24 states.

The representation continues until the child is granted lawful immigration status, a removal order is issued, the child leaves the country voluntarily or turns 18 years old.

Lukens said it is likely the decision to award the contract to Our Rescue will be challenged administratively or in court.

“The issue is we don’t know what happens next,” he said. “We don’t know if there’s going to be a valid and qualified provider that, in theory, could take over 24,000 cases. I’m very skeptical with Our Rescue being involved in any way.”

Operation Underground Railroad was founded in 2013 by Tim Ballard. The origin story for OUR was the loose inspiration for the movie “Sound of Freedom” in 2023, and Ballard used his notoriety to turn OUR into a high-profile anti-trafficking group, bringing in more than $50 million a year. Revenues fell to $35 million last year.

But just before the movie’s release, Ballard was ousted from his position amid allegations that he had sexually abused multiple women associated with the organization. He has adamantly denied wrongdoing. Multiple civil lawsuits were filed against Ballard, some of which have since been dismissed. There have been no criminal charges filed.

After Ballard’s departure, OUR rebranded as Our Rescue. Benner has been the CEO of Our Rescue since April 2025.