The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs Inc., the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the country, alleging pervasive sexual abuse and harassment by its employees over at least eight years.
According to AP, the lawsuit, announced Thursday, paints a grim picture of systemic abuse that took place as the organization secured billions of dollars in government contracts.
According to the Justice Department, Southwest Key employees, including supervisors, engaged in sexual misconduct such as rape, inappropriate touching, and solicitation of sex and nude images from children since at least 2015.
The lawsuit indicates that some employees threatened the children to keep them silent. Since 2020, at least two employees have faced criminal charges related to these allegations.
The nonprofit organization, which operates under grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), manages 29 shelters across Texas, Arizona, and California, with a capacity for more than 6,300 children.
However, the current number of children housed by Southwest Key is unclear, as HHS did not specify whether they continue to place children in these facilities following the lawsuit.
The lawsuit highlights over 100 reports of sexual abuse or harassment at Southwest Key shelters since 2015. One of the most harrowing accounts involves an employee at the Casa Franklin shelter in El Paso, Texas, who allegedly abused three girls aged 5, 8, and 11.
The eight-year-old victim reported that the employee repeatedly entered their rooms at night to touch them inappropriately and threatened to kill their families if they disclosed the abuse. Another incident in 2020 involved an employee taking a 15-year-old boy from a shelter in Mesa, Arizona, to a hotel and paying him for sexual acts over several days.
Southwest Key, in a statement, disputed the allegations and stated they were reviewing the complaint. “The complaint does not present the accurate picture of the care and commitment our employees provide to the youth and children,” said spokesperson Anais Biera Miracle.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit comes amid ongoing concerns about the treatment of migrant children in U.S. custody. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra emphasized that the department has a “zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behavior, and discrimination.”
The situation is further complicated by Texas’ decision in 2021 to revoke licenses for facilities housing migrant children, following a significant influx of migrants at the border. Critics argue this has created an oversight void, contributing to the abuses reported.
The allegations against Southwest Key have drawn condemnation from child rights advocates. Leecia Welch, deputy legal director of Children’s Rights, described the allegations as “absolutely disgusting” and criticized the federal government’s role in the oversight. Neha Desai, senior director for immigration at the National Center for Youth Law, called the allegations “profoundly disturbing and shocking,” urging the government to take aggressive measures to ensure the safety of children currently placed at Southwest Key facilities.
Southwest Key’s role in caring for unaccompanied children began to grow in 2014 amid increasing numbers of migrant children crossing the U.S. border. Despite its mission to provide quality care, the organization has faced numerous controversies over the years. The Justice Department’s lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the scrutiny of its operations.
As the case unfolds, the federal government’s handling of the care and protection of unaccompanied migrant children remains under intense examination, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and reform in the system.
Keywords: Southwest Key Programs, migrant children, sexual abuse, Justice Department, unaccompanied minors, government contracts, Department of Health and Human Services, child protection, immigration, lawsuit.
