CEO non-profit center who called police on Sen. trying to visit detained kids makes 770,866 a year.

[Demsrule86]

"Critics are questioning why the CEO of a Texas nonprofit children's shelter that called police on Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley for trying to enter the facility, where detained immigrant children are held, is being paid as much as $770,860 a year.

The Southwest Key Programs (SKP) center in Brownsville, Texas, which receives state funding and houses undocumented children in cooperation with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) unaccompanied minors program, has come under the spotlight after Merkley shared video online of shelter staff barring him from entering the facility, and calling the police on him
Merkley said "hundreds" of children were being housed at SKP's Brownsville location,many being minors separated from their families under a new "zero tolerance" policy announced last month that sees parents who arrive in the U.S. illegally separated from their children and taken to jail, while their young ones are sent to ORR shelters."

I learned later the CFO makes over $500,000

http://www.newsweek.com/ceo-non-profit-shelter-called-police-senator-trying-visit-detained-children-956802



Lot of description...and the Senator claims some kids are being held in cages at one or more facilities.

Actual video...

Critics are questioning why the CEO of a Texas nonprofit children's shelter that called police on Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley for trying to enter the facility, where detained immigrant children are held, is being paid as much as $770,860 a year.

The Southwest Key Programs (SKP) center in Brownsville, Texas, which receives state funding and houses undocumented children in cooperation with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) unaccompanied minors program, has come under the spotlight after Merkley shared video online of shelter staff barring him from entering the facility, and calling the police on him.
Merkley said "hundreds" of children were being housed at SKP's Brownsville location,many being minors separated from their families under a new "zero tolerance" policy announced last month that sees parents who arrive in the U.S. illegally separated from their children and taken to jail, while their young ones are sent to ORR shelters"

[Fla Dem]

1. Just like the corporate penal system we have in the USA. It's a racket.

They feed on the destitute and marginalize. Corporations are paid in part by how many inmates are in their prisons. I suspect the same is true for these detention centers.

[Demsrule86]

4. Disgusting and his CFO...don't know if it came through...makes over $500,000

Those kids are sleeping on concrete caged in ...Sen. Merkley saw this...he asked why the reply was security.

[gopiscrap]

2. fucker!

[Demsrule86]

5. They are all fuckers.

From Trump to Sanchez...to the minions supervising kids sleeping on concrete floor within cages...all should be sent to the Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

[gopiscrap]

7. agreed

[Demsrule86]

9. I a shocked...I didn't realize that we now have fascists torturing kids.

We probably are going to have to take to the streets if this continues.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. nonprofit children's shelter?

Nice beard for a internment camp.

[Demsrule86]

6. That is exactly what it is. This kids are being caged like animals...bastards.

[workinclasszero]

8. Who knew ripping children away from their parents and locking them up in cages paid so good?

[Demsrule86]

10. Exactly...I am sure they are truly focused on the welfare of the kids lying on concrete floors in

cages...whilst counting their money.

[workinclasszero]

12. If a family did this to their own kids it would be a crime

But Trump and the GOP do it to thousands of families and its a profitable business? What.the.actual.f*ck?

[Demsrule86]

13. It is disgusting...I have called both my Senators...God bless Sen. Merkley for helping to

inform us.

[workinclasszero]

22. Sen. describes immigrants held in cages 'like dog kennels'

http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sen-describes-immigrants-held-in-cages-like-dog-kennels-1248184387944

[Demsrule86]

24. This is horrible...I have tweeted about this and put it on my facebook...generally don't do

politics but ...

[workinclasszero]

25. Can we call Trump and the GOP rule over America a fascist coup now?

Sure as hell looks like one huh?

[Lee-Lee]

37. Why do you keep flat out lying when it's been explained to you?

There is zero evidence any kids in these facilities are sleeping on floors.

Zero.

None.

Nada.

The kids were seen on concrete floors at the temporary Border Patrol processing facility.

You keep flinging this accusation about that the kids are on concrete floors with zero evidence as if is fact, and all it does is serve to make Democrats look like fools who run off and make crazy accusations.

At this point given that you are refusing to acknowledge there is zero basis for your claim but keep posting it over and over I have to assume your intent is to spread unfounded rumors, either because you think it will help with the situation of separating families or you just want to make democrats look bad by being vocal with totally unfounded rumors and conspiracies.

[Demsrule86]

41. I sent you a link and I don't take kindly being accused of lying.

"Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said that he saw undocumented children in cages sleeping on thin space blankets on a concrete floor at a border processing facility. He was then barred from entering another immigrant detention center, he told CNN Monday in an interview"

You calling a Democratic Senator a liar?



https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/merkley-sees-migrant-kids-kept-in-cages-barred-from-border-facility

[Lee-Lee]

49. Did you even read what you posted?

Go read it again.

AT A BORDER CONTROL PROCESSING FACILITY

That is where the “cages” or holding cells are.

That is run by the Border Patrol.

It has nothing, zero, zip, nada to do with the facilities run by this non-profit.

The processing facility is where everyone caught crossing is taken when they first get caught crossing. From there in a few hours they send them off to whatever other locations.

The children are turned over to Office of Refugee Resettlement. That’s a totally different agency than the Border Patrol. The contract with the nonprofit to care for the kids until they can be reunited with their families.

They are not the Border Patrol, the places they run are not Border Patrol processing facilities.

Your own post proves me right, if you take time to actually read and comprehend it.

Yes, if you keep saying the two places are the same then that’s a lie.

[druidity33]

57. So then...

When they find "cages" in the facility Merkley was trying to get into but couldn't, you'll speak up right?

[Lee-Lee]

62. Of course. But I'll bet $100 now they wont

Because I did a little google work and found the inspection reports online where the state of Texas inspects and certifies then as a child care agency.

And guess what? No mention of cages.

And cages would be a really big deal for a social worker doing these checks to find.

So evidence of cages? Zero other than wild conspiracy theories.

Evidence there are no cages? Decades of inspections by the Office of Refugee Resettlement including under the Obama Administration, decades of inspections by state and local child welfare officials, absolutely no mention of cages in these facilities until this week when all the wild conspiracy theories popped up.

[Demsrule86]

60. Yes I did read it...and I consider it to be parsing words...you move the goal posts...

first, there are no kids in cages...I show you there are kids in cages....but but...those kids are at a processing center...they are still in cages which you denied. Mr. Sanchez won't let a US Senator in...and I am not willing to give a man who makes the kind of money at a so called non-profit (he sure as hell makes a profit) the benefit of the doubt and wait for an investigation that may not come in time to save these kids...if he had nothing to hide...why not let the Senator in? The policy of separating kids from their parents is horrible and should be abandoned.

[Lee-Lee]

63. I never said there were no kids in cages

Your lying again, putting words in my mouth.

I said there was no evidence of kids in cages IN THOSE FACILITIES.


It’s already been explained to you why they didn’t let the Sentor in. The people overseeing them, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, has in their rules that all visitors have to be coordinated and cleared with them.

That’s been explained to you and you keep asking the question like it’s never been answered.

At this point you’ve devolved to the mentality of a 9/11 truther, people keep explaining things to you and you just keep ignoring the answers or finding new conspiracy angles.

[Demsrule86]

74. Well Lee -Lee...looks like Babies and kids are in cages...I was correct.

What do you think about this?

[Lee-Lee]

75. Where at?

Every report I have seen of “cages” is at processing centers where they go when first detained crossing. They are then sent to the shelters run by HHS.

I still haven’t seen a single report of any kids nd of cafe at one of those. If you have please share the link.

[Demsrule86]

76. Google it...saw it with my own eyes and multiple pundits reported it...

so...you support this?

[Lee-Lee]

77. I'm betting like the rest of this thread your not comprehending what you see

Are kids in holding cells in temporary facilities where everybody caught goes to be processed? Yup. Have been. And I’ve always said that happens.

Are kids in cages at the facilities run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement? I’ve seen zero evidence of that.

Thoughout this discussion you have demonstrated an inability to understand the difference. I don’t know if you just have such a serious comprehension problem that it’s beyond you intellectual capabilities to understand what you see or if your intentionally trolling, but your response is just more of the same- making claims with zero factual basis for them.

[tulipsandroses]

11. Interesting. I really need to do some research on setting up a non profit

Seriously, I work in mental health. And I have been kicking the idea around in my head for a few years because I am so disappointed with what I see . Need to do some serious research on how to get funding to get help for my community.

[Demsrule86]

14. That is a great idea. I have a friend who worked for Sen. Kennedy in his later years

who gets grants for the YWCA...it is doable she says.

[NCTraveler]

15. K&R nt

[Demsrule86]

16. Thanks...

I appreciate it.

[NCTraveler]

17. Check out this four star review from an employee.

Pros: Free lunch, huge personal office, good pay

Cons: lack of direction, unclear procedures, lack of communication with other departments, chaotic at first

Pay, a big desk, and food. That gets a four star employee review. Organization, not so important.

From another four star review.

Pros: Free Lunch

Cons: No breaks

Three star review.

Pros: Free Lunch

Cons: Unrealistic deadlines. System crashes daily making it almost impossible to finish work on time.

One star review.

Pros: Free Lunch

Cons: NO bathroom breaks, can ONLY eat their food, not your own lunch from home.

[Demsrule86]

18. Wow, just wow. This is so disturbing on so many levels...can you

imagine what those kids go through with this sort in charge also?

[onethatcares]

19. how the fuck does

anyone justify a $770,000.00 salary in a nonprofit corporation?

That money should go toward family reunification and return, not some son of a beeches third house and rolls royce.

[Demsrule86]

20. I agree. It is disgusting...and from what Merkley saw little is spent on kids...

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

32. $770,000 is chicken feed compared to other nonprofit CEO salaries.

https://www.charitywatch.org/top-charity-salaries

Craig B. Thompson, M.D., President/CEO, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center $ 6,700,703

Robert W. Stone, President/CEO, City of Hope & Affiliates $ 2,281,832

Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association $ 1,850,348

Edward J. Benz, Jr., M.D., Past President/CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute $ 1,551,407

Wayne LaPierre, CEO/Executive VP, National Rifle Association (NRA) $ 1,422,339

[Demsrule86]

61. This is way smaller non-profit...and they are all overpaid in my opinion.

[DFW]

21. The concentration camp biz looks pretty lucrative under Republican rule.

I hope these facilities are kept after this Republican nightmare is over. We are to need the prison space.

[Demsrule86]

23. hahah...for those criminal GOP types? we probably will.

[bucolic_frolic]

26. Republicans feeding their own to enhance political contributions

[Demsrule86]

27. I would be the CEO and CFO are GOP...

[Lee-Lee]

31. You would be wrong

Read their bios on the website.

[Demsrule86]

35. I am not wrong...the guy makes over $700,000 a year ad his CFO makes over 500,000.

The bio is BS cooked up by them. If they had nothing to hide why didn't they allow a visit. This is going to backfire on Trump and his brown shirts...I only hope no child has died or will die. Keeping kids in cages is documented as the Sen. gave an eyewitness account.

[Demsrule86]

64. They are in Texas and I did read what they wrote...but unlike you I don't believe all of it.

They are hiding things...and 1000 kids in an old Walmart building with blackened windows? Come on.

[BadgerMom]

28. K and R

[Demsrule86]

29. Thank you. Are you from Wisconsin ?

[BadgerMom]

38. My daughter spent 4 years in Madison earning her PhD.

She loved it and we visited her often. But, no, I’m New York City born, California bred, and soon to become a New Mexican.

[Demsrule86]

45. Great school...Good luck on the move. I live in Ohio now and am moving to Cleveland in the next

couple of weeks.

[BadgerMom]

59. Best on your move, too.

[Lee-Lee]

30. You realize they have been doing this job many years and the Obama Administration contracted

with them to care for the refugee kids long before Trump was even a candidate, right? The

[workinclasszero]

33. Did they call the cops on US Senators then because I missed that I guess

I bet conditions have changed under Trump/GOP rule.

[Ferrets are Cool]

34. You keep attempting to defend this organization.

I just don't understand your unfettered defense. All we are wanting is some transparency from them about this issue. Why are you so against transparency?

[Lee-Lee]

40. I'm defending people using logic and facts

Instead of going off half-cocked with conspiracy theories and unfounded accusations.

That’s what Democrats are supposed to do, be the party of facts and reason. Seems to have gone off the rails on this issue.

[Ferrets are Cool]

43. The ONLY fact I've seen is a lack of transparency. When that changes

I will STFU.

[Lee-Lee]

51. What transparency do you demand?

[Demsrule86]

47. What should we wait for the GOP to investigate? No we should demand transparency and that

Mr. Juan Sanchez is fired...over a million dollars in salary for the CEO and CFO...NO.

[mr_lebowski]

53. I, for one, appreciate your use of reason here

Just because you point out this company has been housing undocumented people since well before Trump doesn't mean you're pro-Kids In Cages nor zero accountability.

I understand that.

Thanks for bringing addt'l facts to the discussion.

[Demsrule86]

42. Yeah I don't get it either...defending the indefensible.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said that he saw undocumented children in cages sleeping on thin space blankets on a concrete floor at a border processing facility. He was then barred from entering another immigrant detention center, he told CNN Monday in an interview.

[Demsrule86]

36. Well...maybe President Obama shouldn't have...I don't know...but I want transparency.

Let's deal with the here and now ...and in general, I am against private companies having anything to do with imprisoning folks.

[tulipsandroses]

56. It is my understanding that they are now " taking care of" kids taken away from their parents

This was not happening under the Obama Administration. With the implementation of the new Trump policy of taking children away at the border. Are they equipped to handle these additional children? Previously, it was my understanding that these children were older that crossed the borders themselves. Now all ages from babies, months old, toddlers and school age children are being taken. Who is taking care of these children? We do need transparency. Whether they are 15 yr olds that crossed the border themselves or toddlers taken from their mother's arms.

I agree with the ACLU, no matter where we stand on Immigration, we should not be OK with children being taken away from their parents. That is one of the most traumatic things you can do to a child. I can tell you as a psych nurse, I have 60 yr old patients still dealing with parental abandonment issues.

[Lee-Lee]

65. I agree with you on family separation

They absolutely shouldn’t be breaking up families.

But because there are doesn’t mean that the non-profit caring for the kids has them rotting away in cages like some here are hysterically claiming.

One can be critical of separating families and not be going down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories that have no supporting evidence.

[Demsrule86]

70. Found an article about the 'care' these kids receive...not good.

Employees are to remain quiet when they believe young children are being handed-off to anyone but loved ones. They are to remain quiet as suspected criminals are processed and released into the community under the guise of being minors in need of shelter. All the while, the minors are told that they would not be so fortunate without the kindness of the El Presidente and employees are reminded that if they don’t like what they see – they can be – and will be – replaced.

Who is El Presidente?

As we reported last year, Southwest Key, an Austin, Texas based company, is led by El Presidente Dr. Juan Sánchez. Southwest Key was started by Sánchez, who was “shaped by his experiences as a young migrant worker,” according to the website. Sanchez, listed on the website as “El Presidente/CEO,” graduated from Harvard University with a doctorate from the School of Education.

Sanchez claims he learned collective responsibility “growing up in one of the poorest barrios of a South Texas border town,” according to an article in the Austin Business Journal. He describes himself as a “community activist with a raised fist.”

In 2014, Southwest Key was awarded over $7 million for the Tucson facility.

The grant reads:

Funding is requested from the Services to Unaccompanied Alien Children Program, to provide shelter care services as outlined in this proposal up to 280 unaccompanied alien children referred by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, DHHS. Shelter care services will be provided at a short year budget from June, 29, 2014 through September 30, 2014, at an estimated cost of $7,479,210. View document here.

The $7 million covers everything from travel for executives to “multicultural crayons.”

According to the Arizona Department of Education, Southwest key has been contracting with the Department‘s Health and Nutrition Services Division, for the last 10 years.

The Tucson grant reads:

Food cost is calculated at $8.65 per day per client. We provide three meals per day and two snacks; our food service program meets the USDA guidelines for nutritional content and serving size. This program will be contracted with the Arizona Department of Education to participate in the National School Lunch Program which will provide a reimbursement of $5.51 per day per client to cover food expenses. Southwest Key also uses a number of resources for donated food, which are used to supplement this amount and to produce additional cost savings. This item also includes the travel costs in the amount of $600 for the NSLP accountant to provide a mandatory training and monitoring of the administrative requirements for submitting claims for the National School Lunch Program specifically related to SWK Casa Tucson.

The grant included $ 1,500 for pool cleaning for three months.

Big business

One whistleblower reported last week that the minors in the care of Southwest Key are allowed to call home once a week. During those calls to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the minor children often encourage siblings and other family members to arrive at the U.S. Mexico border and specifically request placement in a Southwest Key facility. Federal policy dictates that minors are not turned away and are quickly processed to a limited extent and then delivered to the shelters across the southwest.

No one knows how many children have died after being lured into travelling north.



https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2015/12/14/southwest-key-workers/

[Demsrule86]

71. The organization is a bad one...and should never have been allowed near kids...and will be worse

under Trump...

"Recently, after being taken on a guided tour of the Southwest Key facility in Tucson, City Councilman Steve Kozachik, and members of his entourage described it as a “homey” place. The Arizona Department of Health Services recently conducted a cursory inspection of the facility as well and gave it a clean bill of health.

Former employees of Southwest Key see something entirely different. They see a prison-like facility operated by an organization that views children as commodities and the employees as rent-a-cops, whose most important mission is keep their mouths shut while the organization does all it can to keep costs down and kids coming.

To that end, staff must ignore the complaints of kids who are hungry, who are given nothing more than a quarter-sized dollop of soap with which to bath, or given someone else’s underwear to use because – after all – these kids should just be grateful that El Presidente was kind enough to give them some place to land."

Oh and El president is Juan Sanchez who if you read the rest of the article tells kids to get their brothers and sisters to come and ask to live in their facility.

[samir.g]

39. kids chained to concrete while Juan Sanchez rakes in the dough

[Demsrule86]

73. It is terrible...I posted an article from some time ago where the employees said the

kids were mistreated...hungry not even given much soap.

[gtar100]

44. Why? Because he's a fucking scam artists. That's why.

Republicans don't honestly care about government corruption and waste. It's how they do business and this is just one example of how they do it through their cries of "government over-reach" and privatization. And cruelty pays big bucks. That's not a problem for them.

[Demsrule86]

48. You have a point sadly.

[pangaia]

46. I just refuse to listen to those ROBOT voice overs.

[Demsrule86]

50. sorry...there were a few interesting points but the second video is the one shot by the Senator...

no voice over.

[pangaia]

52. Hey Dem, no apology needed.. It;s just me..

Our local NPR classical station has a woman announcing local events and she sounds like a robot. I change the station on my car radio whenever she comes on.

[Demsrule86]

72. I am not crazy about robots either...

[Mosby]

54. I used to work for them as a caseworker

The pay sucked.

[Demsrule86]

67. They rake in enough money to have paid decent salaries.

[ancianita]

55. For-profit orphanization. That's what racist fascist corporate governments do.

[Demsrule86]

69. It is true...needs to stop now.

[ehrnst]

58. More info on the CEO.

http://www.swkey.org/about/leadership/dr_juan_sanchez/

[Lee-Lee]

66. Reads like the credentials of a real right winger

Dr. Sanchez has served on the boards of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, and is an advisor to the Vera Institute of Justice and the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. He was named Best Non-Profit CEO by the Austin Business Journal and is the recipient of the Ohtli Award from the Mexican Consulate, the Freddy Fender Humanitarian Award, the Rising to the Challenge Social Justice Award from LULAC, and the Leading Voices Award from American Gateways for his work on behalf of immigrant children.

[Demsrule86]

68. This was during the Obama years...but it is probably worse now...

"Recently, after being taken on a guided tour of the Southwest Key facility in Tucson, City Councilman Steve Kozachik, and members of his entourage described it as a “homey” place. The Arizona Department of Health Services recently conducted a cursory inspection of the facility as well and gave it a clean bill of health.

Former employees of Southwest Key see something entirely different. They see a prison-like facility operated by an organization that views children as commodities and the employees as rent-a-cops, whose most important mission is keep their mouths shut while the organization does all it can to keep costs down and kids coming.

To that end, staff must ignore the complaints of kids who are hungry, who are given nothing more than a quarter-sized dollop of soap with which to bath, or given someone else’s underwear to use because – after all – these kids should just be grateful that El Presidente was kind enough to give them some place to land."

https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2015/12/14/southwest-key-workers/

And the states not the feds run the inspections or lack there of.