A newly announced decision by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. affects thousands of unaccompanied migrant children across multiple states.
According to Breitbart, the Department of Health and Human Services will cease placing unaccompanied alien children in facilities operated by Southwest Key Programs Incorporated following allegations of sexual abuse and harassment.
The Trump administration's move impacts 27 residential shelters across Texas, Arizona, and California, which have been providing temporary housing for unaccompanied minors entering the United States without legal guardians. Southwest Key Programs, the largest provider of such shelters in the country, received over $2 billion in federal funding between 2021 and 2024 during the Biden administration.
HHS Secretary Kennedy announced the decision to immediately relocate current residents to alternative shelters. The announcement follows a civil lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice in July 2024, which alleged that Southwest Key employees subjected children to unlawful sexual harassment and abuse.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi strongly supported the decision. She emphasized the administration's commitment to border security and child protection.
The Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key following the HHS decision to terminate its relationship with the organization. A comprehensive review of federal grants awarded to the organization will commence.
The decision has resulted in Southwest Key Programs announcing the furlough of 5,000 employees across their nationwide facilities. This development marks a significant shift in the organization's operations, which have been largely dependent on federal funding.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement, operating under HHS, has been responsible for caring for nearly 470,000 unaccompanied alien children who were found at the U.S.-Mexico border between 2021 and 2024. This number represents a dramatic increase from the 15,381 referrals received in 2020.
HHS Secretary Kennedy stated:
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.
The Trump administration has emphasized its commitment to preventing the exploitation of unaccompanied minors. Attorney General Bondi reinforced this stance with her statement:
Securing our border and protecting children from abuse are among the most critical missions of the Department of Justice and the Trump administration, under the border policies of the previous administration, bad actors were incentivized to exploit children and break our laws: this ends now.
The administration's approach represents a significant departure from previous policies regarding the handling of unaccompanied minors at the border. Officials have indicated that additional measures may be implemented to strengthen oversight of facilities housing migrant children.
The Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership, has halted the placement of unaccompanied migrant children in Southwest Key Programs facilities following sexual abuse allegations.
The decision impacts 27 residential shelters across three states and has resulted in the furlough of 5,000 employees. The move comes after a Department of Justice civil lawsuit revealed allegations of sexual harassment and abuse, prompting the immediate relocation of current residents and a comprehensive review of federal grants awarded to the organization.
