Texas immigrant legal aid ministry faces closure after federal payments withheld

A Catholic ministry in El Paso, Texas, that has provided legal help to hundreds of thousands of immigrants over four decades says it is on the brink of shutting down because the Trump administration has withheld more than $765,000 in reimbursements.

Estrella del Paso , formerly known as Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services, has seen its cash reserves depleted since payments stopped arriving in December 2025, according to executive director Melissa Lopez.

Lopez told EWTN News Estrella del Paso offers a broad range of services, providing every type of legal immigration representation, including aiding asylum seekers, those in immigration detention seeking to be released on bond, and people applying for residency and naturalization.

The organization serves more than 40,000 people annually and is one of the largest providers of legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children in the country.

The group is currently providing legal help to around 300 minors, though the number fluctuates frequently, Lopez said.

She warned that “a significant number of people will be impacted if the program ceases to exist,” leaving tens of thousands of immigrants without representation in…