Trump admin pulls children from migrant shelters over sexual abuse claims

President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services released a joint statement on Wednesday announcing that unaccompanied migrant children will no longer be placed in shelters operated by Southwest Key Programs.

The departments called it a “move to end sexual abuse and harassment,” noting that all the children have been moved to other shelters.

‘Bad actors were incentivized to exploit children and break our laws: This ends now.’

Southwest Key, a nonprofit organization, runs more than two dozen temporary living facilities in Texas, Arizona, and California, making it the largest shelter provider for foreign national children who entered the United States without a parent or guardian.

The DOJ and HSS’ joint press release noted that the decision to remove the children stemmed from a July 2024 lawsuit that alleged Southwest Key employees “subjected unaccompanied alien children in its care to unlawful sexual harassment and abuse.”

The lawsuit accused some employees of raping, inappropriately touching, and soliciting sex from the children beginning in 2015. One worker allegedly “repeatedly sexually abused” several girls, with the youngest only 5 years old.

“Out of continuing concerns relating to these placements, HHS has decided to stop placement of unaccompanied alien children in Southwest Key facilities and to review its grants with the organization. In view of HHS’ action, the Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key,” the press release explained.

At least two workers have faced criminal charges in connection with the allegations, the Associated Press reported.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “This administration is working fearlessly to end the tragedy of human trafficking and other abuses of unaccompanied alien children who enter the country illegally.”

“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,” he added.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the Trump administration and the DOJ are committed to protecting children and securing the border.

“Under the border policies of the previous administration, bad actors were incentivized to exploit children and break our laws: This ends now,” Bondi declared.

As a result of the administration’s decision, Southwest Key sent a furlough notice to employees on March 10. Employees will not be expected to work and will not receive pay.

The email read, “It is with a heavy heart that we share, as a nationwide provider for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Southwest Key Programs … received a stop placement notice from the federal government on February 28, 2025, for all of our programs serving Unaccompanied Children.”

“This unexpected notice has created a challenging situation for Southwest Key,” it continued. “Due to this unforeseen business circumstance, Southwest Key has made the difficult decision to implement a temporary furlough.”

Southwest Key did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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