The Department of Justice sued a Texas-based nonprofit on Wednesday over allegations of sexual abuse against illegal alien children.
Southwest Key Programs was the target of the lawsuit. The group provides housing for unaccompanied minors who cross the southern border illegally. The lawsuit alleges that Southwest Key Programs failed to follow federal requirements to prevent, detect, and report instances of sexual harassment and abuse. Employees allegedly solicited sex from, took nude photos of, and inappropriately touched children.
“Sexual harassment of children in residential shelters, where a child should be safe and secure, is abusive, dehumanizing and unlawful,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said in a press release.
“Sexual abuse of children is a crisis that we can’t ignore or turn a blind eye to,” she continued. “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 denied the allegations.
“We continue to review the complaint, and it does not present the accurate picture of the care and commitment our employees provide to the youth and children,” the group claimed in a statement, per KERA News.
Southwest Key Programs is the largest housing provider for unaccompanied children, according to the DOJ. It has 29 shelters for temporary housing of illegal alien children in Texas, Arizona, and California. Children are housed at the shelters until they can be reunited with their families or placed with a sponsor as their immigration cases are processed.
The DOJ alleges the sexual abuse took place from 2015 to at least 2023.
“HHS has a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behavior, and discrimination,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the press release. “The U.S. Department of Justice’s complaint against Southwest Key raises serious pattern or practice concerns.”
“HHS will continue to work with the Justice Department and oversight agencies to hold its caregiving programs like Southwest Key accountable,” he continued. “And we will continue to closely evaluate our assignment of children into caregiving programs to ensure the safety and well-being of every child in HHS custody.”
The DOJ lawsuit was filed in the District Court for the Western District of Texas.
“Every child has the right to feel safe and secure in their dwelling, including in shelter care,” Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas said. “This lawsuit seeks to provide a pathway for justice and healing for these children, who are among the most vulnerable in our society.”