Department of Justice has accused the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children of engaging in
“severe, pervasive”
sexual abuse and harassment of the children under its care, per the NY Post.
According to a lawsuit filed by the DOJ, Southwest Key employees, including supervisors, have allegedly committed acts of
“rape, sexual touching, and solicitation of sex and nude images from the children”
since 2015. The lawsuit also mentions that at least two employees have been charged since 2020.
One disturbing allegation involves the repeated abuse of a 5-year-old child at a Southwest Key shelter in El Paso. In another instance, a youth care worker at a Tucson shelter allegedly took an 11-year-old boy to a hotel and paid him to perform sexual acts. The lawsuit further states that the children were threatened with violence against themselves or their families if they reported the abuse.
Additionally, testimony from the victims suggests that some staff members were aware of the ongoing abuse but either failed to report it or actively concealed it.
On its website, Southwest Key said it has been a significant partner in the U.S. response to address the immigration crisis at our southern border for over 20 years,
“sheltering immigrant children under 18 years of age who arrive in this country without a parent or guardian. SWK works to reunify them with a parent, relative, or sponsor.”
According to the lawsuit filed by the DOJ, Southwest Key is responsible for the care of children between the ages of 5 and 18. Southwest Key operates a total of 29 shelters for child migrants, with 17 located in Texas, 10 in Arizona, and two in California. The organization states that most of the children in their care are aged 13 to 17 from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
“During the brief amount of time they are with us, we seek to provide refuge and care to assist in their future success,”
the company said.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
