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 and harassment of vulnerable children. The suit claims that the nonprofit engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse and rape of unaccompanied children who were sent to its facilities at the southwest border. The lawsuit seeks damages for victims and civil penalties.
Southwest Key responded, stating that its main priority is the safety and well-being of the children in its care and that it is working closely with the Office of Refugee Resettlement to ensure their safety. The organization denied the allegations in the lawsuit and stated that the care provided to the children is of the highest quality.
The lawsuit lists multiple instances of sexually abusive and harassing behavior by Southwest Key employees. Some of the allegations are supported by the nonprofit’s own documentation and video evidence. In one case, a girl reported being abused and threatened by a youth care worker at a facility in Texas, while in another case, a worker allegedly carried on a long-term relationship with a teenager at a shelter in Brownsville.
The lawsuit comes at a time of increasing spending on housing and care for unaccompanied migrant children at the border. While family separation policies have ceased, unaccompanied children continue to arrive and require shelter and care. The government has allocated significant funds for this purpose, but the recent lawsuit highlights the need for better protection and oversight of vulnerable migrant children in custody.
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