National Center for Youth Law Condemns Federal Government’s Decision to Drop Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Immigrant Child Shelter
The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) is outraged by the federal government’s decision to drop a sex abuse lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs, one of the country’s largest unaccompanied immigrant child shelter providers. Allegations of severe sexual abuse, including the rape of children, demand immediate and decisive action. Instead, the Department of Justice is callously walking away from justice and accountability. Today, NCYL asked the federal district judge overseeing the litigation to be permitted to intervene in the case.
“Prosecuting child rapists and abusers should be a nonpartisan issue,” said Johnathan Smith, Chief of Staff & General Counsel at NCYL. “The Justice Department’s reprehensible actions here not only erode any semblance of accountability but also embolden those who would exploit and abuse vulnerable children. It is a betrayal of the government’s legal and moral obligation to protect these young lives.”
The lawsuit outlined multiple disturbing instances of staff members sexually abusing children entrusted to their care. Despite these credible and thoroughly supported allegations, the federal government is opting to leave survivors without the thorough investigation and redress they desperately deserve.
Reporting suggests the Justice Department may have been motivated by political concerns, factors that should be irrelevant, especially for cases involving child abuse. In addition to the letter to Judge Alan D. Albright, NCYL also sent a letter to Chuck Grassley, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, that calls for an explanation from the Department of Justice.
“It is unconscionable that the government would choose to abandon the very children it is charged with protecting,” said Neha Desai, Managing Director of Children’s Human Rights & Dignity at NCYL. “These abuses were preventable and horrific violations of children’s bodies and trust, carried out under the watch of a system designed to keep them safe. By dropping this lawsuit, the government is effectively telling these young survivors—and every child still held in these shelters—that their safety is negotiable.”
NCYL stands in solidarity with every child who has endured unimaginable pain within systems meant to safeguard them. We will not rest until genuine accountability is secured, and we urge all concerned stakeholders, especially policymakers, to demand the justice these children deserve.
