Trump Administration Awards $158 Million Contract to Ex-ICE Official’s Nonprofit

The contract for legal services to unaccompanied minors went to Our Rescue, whose founder was the inspiration for the movie “Sound of Freedom.”

Justice Department

Derek Benner, Our Rescue’s CEO, said, “These are among the most vulnerable children in the world, and they deserve nothing less than the full weight of our experience.” Olivier Douliery/AP

The Trump administration awarded a $158 million contract to a nonprofit to provide legal services for unaccompanied minors, a federal contracting database shows.

The Department of Health and Human Services awarded the one-year contract to Our Rescue, with a start date of Aug. 7 and the possibility of extension until Feb. 6, 2028. The grant was awarded by DHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement, which oversees the care of unaccompanied undocumented children.

It’s unclear if Our Rescue has previously provided legal services to minors, and the group did not respond to a question from NOTUS about its legal experience. The group’s website does not list immigration litigation as a primary function.