The Trump administration has been sending some unaccompanied migrant teens to a secure juvenile detention center in southeast Pennsylvania that has a long-documented history of abuse, according to a Washington Post investigation.
The facility, operated by Abraxas Alliance in Morgantown, recently received $9 million from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to hold up to 30 young immigrants deemed a risk to themselves or others. Between five and eight migrant boys have been confined in a dedicated wing of the facility since early October, sleeping in locked cells the size of walk-in closets, lawyers told the Washington Post. Several of the teens reportedly have no pending criminal charges, while others have relatives in the United States seeking reunification.
State inspectors have documented at least 15 incidents of physical abuse at Morgantown since 2013, including sexual harassment and abuse by staff. In November, Pennsylvania revoked one of the facility’s licenses following an incident where a staff member shoved a child’s face into a table. The state reduced the facility’s maximum capacity under that license while the operator appeals.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the administration’s policies, saying the government is focused on protecting children from human trafficking and abuse. ORR spokesman Andrew Nixon added that placement decisions are based on individual assessments, with notice provided to each child.
Advocates say placing migrant teens in a juvenile prison exposes them to unnecessary risks. “ORR is sending children to a juvenile detention center who should not be there,” said Becky Wolozin, senior attorney at the National Youth Law Center, who visited the facility and spoke to some of the boys.
The Washington Post notes that the practice contrasts with the majority of ORR placements, where children move freely around campus-style shelters. The move to secure detention comes amid the administration’s efforts to implement stricter vetting and monitoring of unaccompanied minors, extending their average stay in government custody to around six months.
