WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs alleging that the organization failed to protect unaccompanied immigrant children in its facilities from sexual abuse. The organization receives grants from the federal government to run a network of shelters in Texas, Arizona, and California that house immigrant children in federal custody. 

The Young Center has provided independent child advocates to hundreds of unaccompanied and separated immigrant children placed in these facilities for the past 20 years. 

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights issued the following statement: 

“Let us be clear: all children, including immigrant children, should grow up with their family and loved ones. As an organization that advocates for the rights and best interest of immigrant children, we have fiercely and consistently argued that large shelters, also known as congregate care facilities, are inappropriate placements for children, as they make it easier for bad actors to perpetrate physical and psychological harm against children who are separated from trusted family members. 

For the past 20 years, under four different Presidential administrations, we have accompanied and advocated for children as they experience challenges that go far beyond the alleged failures of one organization. Immigrant children in federal custody routinely experience prolonged detention, inadequate medical care, lack of educational opportunities, and severe emotional distress. Recently, many have been separated from trusted family members under changing immigration policies, exacerbating their trauma and hindering their ability to recover from the difficult journeys they have endured. 

Any child who has been a victim of abuse while in custody deserves immediate care, attention, and justice. We welcome the actions taken by the government to hold accountable entities responsible for this abuse. But we are gravely concerned about simultaneous efforts that limit oversight of children in federal custody—including decisions by Texas and Florida to refuse to investigate allegations of harm in these facilities, and a federal court’s decision to end much of the oversight provided through the Flores Settlement Agreement. For that reason, we believe that every child who cannot be promptly reunified with trusted family members or placed in community-based settings should have attorneys and child advocates to champion their rights and best interests. They need access to independent courts who will hear their claims of harm. And there must be far more robust programs to prevent abuse from happening. 

We call on Congress to enact reforms and fund initiatives that protect the rights and dignity of immigrant children and ensure their safety and well-being. We must create systems that uphold the humanity of every child, regardless of immigration status.” 

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The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is a non-profit organization that protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children and advocates for an immigration system that treats children as children first.