The U.S. government has filed a lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs Inc., its largest provider of temporary shelter for underage migrants, alleging widespread sexual abuse of vulnerable children. The civil rights suit claims that employees of the nonprofit subjected unaccompanied children at the southwest border to severe sexual abuse, rape, solicitation of sex, and other inappropriate behavior. The lawsuit seeks damages for victims, civil penalties, and other relief to address the alleged abuse. Southwest Key has stated that its top priority is the safety and well-being of the children it houses and is in constant communication with the government to ensure their safety.
The lawsuit lists multiple allegations of sexually abusive and harassing behavior, some of which were reported by the nonprofit’s own documentation. One account from a Southwest Key report describes a youth care worker repeatedly raping, abusing, and threatening a girl at one of its facilities in Texas. Another incident involved a youth care worker at a shelter in Texas carrying on a long-term relationship with a teenager that was known to coworkers but went unreported. The lawsuit also details the chaotic situation in 2019 when the number of migrant children held by the government or its contractors grew to nearly 70,000, leading to a scramble to find beds for them and the use of temporary detention camps.
Despite the end of the family separation policy, unaccompanied children continue to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border alone, leading to increased spending on housing and care for these migrants. The lawsuit highlights the need for improved oversight and protection of vulnerable children in U.S. custody.
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