The English-only application spans at least nine pages, the first hurdle for an unaccompanied child seeking asylum in the United States.

Then there’s an interview. A child is asked to recount to an asylum officer details of past traumas—such as gang recruitment and kidnappings, prostitution, and abuse. If asylum is denied, the young migrant goes before an immigration judge as a federal attorney typically argues for deportation.

This process is one that the majority of the tens of thousands of unaccompanied children crossing the border this year are expected to maneuver solo. Navigating the world of immigration law is complex even for a law student, who would typically take a semester’s time to become conversant in its nuances. For a child, it’s nearly impossible, according to immigration attorney Kristen Jackson.

“If you have an unrepresented child,” she said, “their actual ability to do any of this as a per se from my perspective is zero.”