The Trump administration has awarded more than $244 million in a no-bid legal services contract to Our Rescue — formerly Operation Underground Railroad, the nonprofit whose founder, Utah celebrity activist Tim Ballard, resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations.

Why it matters: The contract appoints Our Rescue to represent vulnerable migrant children under a federal law requiring legal counsel for minors who came to the U.S. without a parent.

• The group's current director is, like Ballard, a former ICE agent.

Driving the news: The contract, first reported by The American Prospect, was issued Friday.

• A week earlier, the previous legal contractor said the Trump administration withheld payment because that organization wouldn't share confidential information about the children it served.

Friction point: There's no indication that Our Rescue has previously provided legal services on the scale of its new contract.

• It became famous for international raids on alleged human traffickers, enlisting non-tactical professionals like politicians and mommy bloggers on SWAT-style "jumps" — with cameras rolling.
• Its website doesn't list legal services among its primary functions.

In a response to Axios, Our Rescue CEO Derek Benner said the group "help[s] vulnerable children across the U.S. and around the world," and the federal contract "fits squarely within this mission."

Between the lines: Our Rescue has had strong Republican ties, with Benner previously described as a "top Trump immigration enforcer."

Flashback: The group's profile reached its zenith in 2023, with the release of the film "The Sound of Freedom," which starred actor Jim Caviezel as Ballard.

• Ballard resigned less than a month later, following an employee complaint. Other women reported misconduct on raids; Ballard has denied the allegations against him. Prosecutors in Utah declined to file charges, and lawsuits are pending.

Catch up quick: News investigations, human trafficking watchdogs and participants in the group's raids had already challenged its claims and tactics, alleging it exaggerated its successes to raise money.

What they're saying: The Trump administration is trying to "make sure that the kids have an attorney on paper but are not actually providing meaningful legal advocacy," Michael Lukens, executive director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, told the Washington Post.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which issued the contract, did not immediately respond to Axios' queries.

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Salt Lake City's unemployment rate declined to a seasonally adjusted 3.6% in June, matching national trends, new federal data shows.

Why it matters: Half of the cities and metro areas tracked in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report posted higher unemployment rates, but Salt Lake City's low figure suggests its labor market remains solid.

By the numbers: Salt Lake City's unemployment rate is 0.6 percentage points below the national average and is lower than 70% of the areas surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Salt Lake City added 22,900 jobs since last June. The state added 26,300 jobs during the same period.

The big picture: The lowest rate was Rapid City, South Dakota, which ticked just below 2%

• The highest was Southern California's El Centro at just under 19%.

The bottom line: A stable local employment picture can be welcome news, but it doesn't necessarily translate into relief for household budgets.

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🏁 British driver Andy Green took a spin on the Bonneville Salt Flats yesterday, setting a new 406mph record for a hydrogen-powered car. (Associated Press)

⚽ Real Salt Lake star Zavier Gozo is reportedly transferring to the Premier League's Crystal Palace. (The Athletic)

✈️ Dallin Oaks, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, plans to make his first overseas trip in the role to dedicate a temple in Brazil. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Park City is hosting a new film festival this fall after the Sundance Film Festival left Utah for Colorado.

State of play: The first-ever Park City Film Festival will run Oct. 23-25, featuring a "curated selection" of movies, Q&As and panel discussions.

• Screenings will be shown at the Library Theatre, a popular Sundance venue.

Context: Sundance held its final festival in Utah earlier this year after soliciting bids from other U.S. cities for a new home, ultimately choosing Boulder.

• In March, state leaders floated the idea of creating an entirely new festival.

Yes, but: Those plans drew immediate skepticism over whether it could replicate Sundance's cultural significance and prestige.

The film line-up and tickets will be available Aug. 17.

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