In a significant development, the U.S. Department of Justice has decided to drop its civil rights lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs, a national nonprofit shelter provider for unaccompanied migrant children.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2024, accused the organization of allowing its employees to sexually abuse minors housed in its shelters.
The decision to dismiss the lawsuit follows actions taken by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which had already halted the placement of migrant children in Southwest Key shelters and moved all minors to other facilities.
HHS explained that it began a review of its grants with Southwest Key after the allegations surfaced. In a statement, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. commented, “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, based in Austin, Texas, is one of the largest contractors with the U.S. government to provide shelter to unaccompanied minors arriving in the country without parents or legal guardians. The organization operates 27 shelters across Texas, Arizona, and California.
The Department of Justice’s original lawsuit alleged a long history of sexual misconduct dating back to at least 2015 in Southwest Key’s network of shelters. These allegations included instances of sexual abuse, rape, solicitation of sex acts, inappropriate sexual comments, and other forms of harassment.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Southwest Key has repeatedly denied the claims. A spokesperson for the nonprofit stated, “Southwest Key strongly denied the claims relating to child sexual abuse in our shelters, and there is no settlement or payment required.
We are glad this matter is now concluded. We always believed the facts would prove the allegations to be without merit.”
The dismissal of the lawsuit marks the end of a high-profile legal battle that has drawn attention to the treatment of migrant children in U.S. shelters.
The decision also comes amid a shift in the priorities of the current administration, with Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasizing a crackdown on illegal immigration as a key focus of the Justice Department’s efforts.
While the lawsuit is dismissed, the ongoing scrutiny of Southwest Key’s operations has raised important questions about accountability and oversight in the care of vulnerable minors.
As the organization moves forward, it continues to face challenges, including a federal funding freeze that has led to the furlough of approximately 5,000 employees.
The Justice Department’s decision to drop the lawsuit reflects a complex balance between legal proceedings, the shifting landscape of immigration policy, and the long-term implications for the care of unaccompanied minors in the U.S.
Read more:
