Trump Administration Awards $158M Contract to Tim Ballard-Founded Group to Represent Migrant Children

Our Rescue, an activist group founded by former federal immigration enforcement agent Tim Ballard, has been awarded a $158 million federal contract to legally represent unaccompanied immigrant children in the United States, according to reporting by Democracy Now on August 12, 2026.

The Minneapolis-based organization, formerly known as Operation Underground Railroad, was established in 2013 with a stated mission to combat child sex trafficking and assist law enforcement with rescue operations. That history inspired the 2023 feature film Sound of Freedom, which drew widespread acclaim among conservative audiences while facing criticism for incorporating elements tied to the far-right QAnon movement. Ballard departed Our Rescue abruptly in July 2023, and faced subsequent accusations of sex trafficking, forced labor, and abusing women. According to Democracy Now, the new contract between Our Rescue and the Office of Refugee Resettlement could potentially increase up to $244 million in value.

Federal Contracts for Unaccompanied Migrant Children Legal Services

The award to Our Rescue runs parallel to a separate multimillion-dollar federal agreement aimed at providing legal representation for thousands of unaccompanied migrant children in government custody during immigration proceedings. According to ABC News, the Department of Health and Human Services announced an intent to award a $150 million contract to Burke Law Group, a Houston-based law firm with 26 employees across eight offices. The proposed agreement requires the firm to provide legal orientation, legal consultation, and attorney-of-record representation services for eligible children during administrative hearings before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Public records and firm disclosures show that Burke Law Group’s leadership includes former Trump administration appointees. Marcella Burkey served at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior, while founding partner Jeffrey Hall was appointed and confirmed to an EPA post late last year. ABC News reported that Burke Law Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the award.

Disputes Over Prior Legal Representation Contracts

The new contracting moves by the administration follow a major shift in how legal services for migrant children are managed under federal oversight. In December 2023, the Acacia Center for Justice assumed the role of prime contract holder with HHS, coordinating subcontracts with more than 100 service providers representing over 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children, as detailed by ABC News.

Federal officials subsequently offered Acacia the opportunity to receive a new federal contract under revised conditions, according to an HHS spokesperson cited by ABC News. Those conditions mandated that providers supply data on who they represent and submit billing concurrently with applications for immigration relief. Legal service providers refused those terms, asserting that the Office of Refugee Resettlement demanded confidential and legally privileged information concerning the children and their sponsors. Legal providers have further alleged that the administration has withheld $65 million in overdue fees from the previous contract as an enforcement measure.