Headline Roundup • March 13th, 2025
DOJ Drops Lawsuit Against Migrant Shelter Provider Accused of Abuse, Moves Children From Shelters
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped its lawsuits alleging child sexual harassment and abuse against migrant shelters for unaccompanied minors operated by Southwest Key Programs Inc. The Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS) have moved migrant children from Southwest Key shelters and halted any new placements. Headlines on the action were split.
The Details: The lawsuit was filed during the Biden administration and alleged sexual crimes from 2015 to 2023. Prior to the Trump administration divesting from the company, it was the largest provider for the housing of migrant children with shelters in Arizona, Texas, and California. HHS said it has also initiated a review of its grants with the organization.
How The Media Covered It: Newsmax (Right bias) led with the framing that the Trump administration's removal of children from the shelters is protecting them from abuse, quoting Attorney General Pam Bondi as saying, “Securing our border and protecting children from abuse are among the most critical missions of the Department of Justice.” Reuters (Center) and Associated Press (Left) led with the DOJ dropping its lawsuit. AP detailed the allegations described in the lawsuit and added, “At least two employees have been indicted on criminal charges related to the allegations since 2020.” It also emphasized the size and scale of Southwest Key Programs.
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Featured Coverage of this Story
The Department of Justice dropped a civil rights lawsuit filed last year against the national nonprofit Southwest Key Programs alleging its employees had sexually abused unaccompanied minors who were housed in its shelters after entering the country illegally, according to a court filing on Wednesday.
The department decided to drop the lawsuit after the Department of Health and Human Services stopped the placement of unaccompanied migrant children in shelters operated by Southwest Key and initiated a review of its grants with the organization, HHS said in a press release on...
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(David Pike/Valley Morning Star via AP)
The Trump administration moved to drop a civil lawsuit Wednesday against the largest provider of housing for migrant children over allegations of sexual abuse and harassment of unaccompanied minors, saying it also would no longer use the provider.
The motion to dismiss the suit against Southwest Key Programs was filed after the federal government announced it had moved all unaccompanied children to other shelters.
Unaccompanied migrant children who entered the U.S. without an adult relative or care provider are being moved from shelters operated by Southwest Key Programs Inc. The Department of Justice said in a release the action follows a government civil complaint against Southwest Key last July that claimed employees had subjected "unaccompanied alien children in its care to unlawful sexual harassment and abuse." The combined DOJ and Health and Human Services action includes placing a halt on any new children being placed at Southwest Key shelters, along with moving those already...
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