2.4 – Legal Orientation Program for Custodians of Unaccompanied Children

The Legal Orientation Program for Custodians of Unaccompanied Children (LOPC) provides informational presentations to the custodians (i.e. non-parent, adult caregivers) of unaccompanied children (UC) who are in removal proceedings.

The purpose of this program is to inform the children’s custodians of their responsibilities to ensure the child’s appearance at all immigration proceedings and to protect the children from mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking (in fulfillment of the duties provided for in the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act).  EOIR works with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement, to carry out this program nationally.

Specifically, the LOPC educates custodians on:

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

EOIR oversees the LOPC through a contract that includes management of the LOPC National Call Center.  For further information, please visit EOIR’s website.