The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs, the largest private provider of shelter and care for unaccompanied immigrant children in the country, for allegedly allowing patterns of "severe" and "repeated" sexual abuse and harassment at its facilities across the southwest border.
The lawsuit claims that the organization, which operates dozens of shelters in Texas, Arizona, and California, violated the law by "subjecting migrant children under its care to severe and widespread sexual harassment by employees."
The allegations, detailed in a statement on Thursday, span from 2015 to at least 2023 and include instances of sexual contact, inappropriate touching, sexual comments, solicitation of sexual acts, and requests for nude photographs.
Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, stated that the sexual harassment of children in shelters, where they should feel safe and protected, is abusive, dehumanizing, and illegal:
"Sexual abuse of children is a crisis that we can't ignore or turn a blind eye to. This lawsuit seeks relief for children who have been abused and harmed, and meaningful reforms to ensure no child in these shelters is ever subjected to sexual abuse again."
Southwest Key Programs receives grants from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is responsible for the care of unaccompanied migrant children entering the United States. These shelters serve as temporary homes for children until they are reunited with their parents or placed with a relative or other ORR-approved sponsor.
The lawsuit seeks damages to compensate the children affected by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty against Southwest Key, and an injunction to prevent future discrimination and require the organization to take appropriate measures to prevent such harassment in the future.
It's not the first time that Southwest Key has faced federal scrutiny before. Back in 2018 The New York Times revealed that the organization had funneled government money through a web of for-profit companies to convert public funds into private money for the organization and pay top executives millions of dollars. The Justice Department opened an investigation into possible financial improprieties leading high-level executives, including its founder and chief financial officer, to resign.
Also in 2018, videos emerged showing physical abuse at shelters in Arizona which led Southwest Key to pay a $73,000 fine and loose its licenses for two shelters.
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