The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs Inc., alleging that the nonprofit subjected unaccompanied children in their shelters to “severe and pervasive sexual harassment by employees,” according to a news release.

The non-profit provides housing to unaccompanied children who are encountered at the southern land border of the United States. According to the lawsuit, the organization has 29 shelters that provide temporary housing for unaccompanied children in Texas, Arizona and California, and is the largest housing provider for unaccompanied children in the United States.

Southwest Key Programs has nine locations in the Rio Grande valley.

The federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LAWSUIT

The lawsuit states the alleged abuse happened from 2015 through at least 2023. According to the news release, the harassment involved multiple Southwest Key employees who “subjected children in their care to severe or pervasive sexual harassment.” 

According to the Department of Justice, the alleged harassment included “sexual contact and inappropriate touching, solicitation of sex acts and solicitation of nude photos.”

The lawsuit also accused Southwest Key Programs of taking insufficient action to prevent the alleged sexual harassment of the children in their care, according to the release.

A document outlines an incident in May 2022 where a worker at Southwest Key Programs' McAllen location, Casa Oasis, "sexually touched boys" during transport.

Other complaints include locations in Brownsville, San Benito and Los Fresnos

Channel 5 News reached out to Southwest Key Programs for comment. The non-profit issued the following statement:

"Southwest Key Programs’ primary focus is the safety, health, and well-being of each one of the children and youth we care for. We continue to review the complaint, and it does not present the accurate picture of the care and commitment our employees provide to the youth and children. We are in constant communication and continue to closely partner with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), as we have done so for the past two decades to ensure the children and youth entrusted to our care are safe with us during their short stay with Southwest Key."

This is a developing story, check back for updates.