In a recent turn of events, the U.S. Department of Justice has dropped a civil rights lawsuit against the national nonprofit Southwest Key Programs. The lawsuit, filed last year, alleged that employees of the organization had sexually abused unaccompanied minors who were housed in its shelters after entering the country illegally. This decision was made after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stopped placing unaccompanied migrant children in Southwest Key shelters and initiated a review of its grants with the organization.
Based in Austin, Texas, Southwest Key Programs is a nonprofit that contracts with the federal government to care for young migrants who arrive in the U.S. without parents or legal guardians. It has operated 27 shelters in Texas, Arizona, and California and is the largest provider of shelter to unaccompanied minor children. The Department of Justice had sued the organization in July 2024, alleging a pattern of “severe or pervasive sexual harassment” dating back to at least 2015 in its network of shelters.
The complaint included disturbing cases of “severe sexual abuse and rape, solicitation of sex acts, solicitation of nude photos, entreaties for sexually inappropriate relationships, sexual comments, and gestures.” This was a grave violation of the rights of these vulnerable children and needed to be addressed immediately.
However, the Department of Justice has now decided to drop the lawsuit, citing the actions taken by the Department of Health and Human Services. The department has moved all children in Southwest Key shelters to other shelters, ensuring their safety and well-being. This move has been welcomed by many, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who stated, “For too long, pernicious actors have exploited such children both before and after they enter the United States. Today’s action is a significant step toward ending this appalling abuse of innocents.”
Southwest Key Programs has not yet responded to a request for comment on the matter. However, the organization had previously sought to have the case dismissed and denied the allegations of sexual assault of children. In a court filing last year, it stated, “Southwest Key takes pride in its record of providing safe shelter care, and it vehemently denies the allegations that there is any ‘pattern or practice’ of sexual abuse, harassment, or misconduct at its facilities, or that it ‘failed to take reasonable, appropriate, and sufficient action to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual abuse and harassment of the children entrusted to its care.’”
The plans to dismiss the case were first reported by Bloomberg, which also stated that an attorney for Southwest Key had reached out to the Justice Department and requested the dismissal. The attorney argued that the case could hinder the crackdown on illegal immigration by President Donald Trump’s administration. However, this decision by the Justice Department shows that the safety and well-being of these children are of utmost importance, regardless of political agendas.
This reversal by the Justice Department comes at a time when Attorney General Pam Bondi has made combatting illegal immigration a top priority. This decision sends a strong message that the department is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals, especially vulnerable children who have been subjected to such heinous acts.
In conclusion, the dropping of the civil rights lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs is a significant step towards ending the exploitation and abuse of unaccompanied migrant children. The actions taken by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Justice Department demonstrate their commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of these children. Let us hope that this decision serves as a reminder to all organizations and individuals that the rights of children must be protected at all costs.
