A robust field of literature has documented the life-changing implications of immigration case outcomes and particularly legal status as a key stratifying mechanism for immigrant wellbeing, incorporation trajectories and socio-economic outcomes in the United States. To date, however, much of the existing research has examined immigration case outcomes and access to legal representation among adult migrants.

With nearly a half-million unaccompanied minors arriving to the US in the last decade, minors are increasingly represented in immigration proceedings. Due in part to data limitations, there is a dearth of scholarship examining their access to legal representation and case outcomes. Therefore, this project aims to shine a light on the experience of unaccompanied minors: (1) what is the association between individual-level characteristics and access to legal counsel among unaccompanied minors? (2) what is the relationship between individual-level characteristics and case outcomes among unaccompanied minors?