Juan Sánchez, CEO of Southwest Key, resigns

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In a letter to the staff, Juan Sánchez said that "recent events" have convinced him, as well as Southwest Key's board of directors, that the nonprofit sector "would benefit from a new perspective and new leadership ".

Southwest Key has been under increased scrutiny in 2018 when the Zero Trump Administration's zero tolerance policy has led to the separation of migrant children from their parents.

Many of these children ended up in Southwest Key's unaccompanied minors' shelters, drawing attention to past abuses as well as new scandals and allegations of wrongdoing.

"The widespread misunderstandings of our company and the unfair criticism of our staff have become a distraction that our employees do not deserve, and I can not bear it anymore." It's time to make a fresh start, "he said. Sanchez in his letter.

Executive Director Joella Brooks will assume the role of Interim Executive Director, while the Board of Directors will look for a permanent Chief Executive Officer, said Orlando Martinez, Chairman of the Board.

"Our mission has never been more critical than today, and we must carefully consider what is needed to evolve and grow as an organization," Martinez said in a statement. .

"The council is extremely grateful to Mr. Sánchez for his determination and determination to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children."

According to his website, Sánchez founded Southwest Key Programs in 1987 in a basement of five people in San Antonio. In addition to programming youth justice initiatives, it has also provided housing to migrant children incarcerated in the United States under a federal shelter system for over 20 years.

Sánchez said the Trump administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy had flooded Southwest Key's shelters. It has also strengthened media monitoring of its facilities for migrant children.

CNN reported in 2018 that the organization had received about $ 1.5 billion over the previous 10 years for the implementation of 83 programs across the country including childcare centers. migrants and juvenile justice initiatives. The tax returns show that Sanchez received a total compensation of nearly $ 1.5 million in 2016 as CEO, almost double the salary he had received the previous year.

Although the board of directors of a non-profit organization has the right to determine the salary of its president, charity observers told CNN that the salary was one of the highest in the United States for a charity CEO. A spokesman for Southwest Key told CNN that the salary was within a reasonable range compared to other nonprofit CEOs.

In September, the Arizona Department of Health Services threatened to revoke licenses for 13 shelters in the state, citing the fact that the company had not proven its identity and its history of background check of employees. Southwest Key closed a shelter, Hacienda Del Sol's facilities, in October after negotiations with the state.
Later, surveillance videos showed staff members pushing and dragging migrant children to Hacienda Del Sol before it closed. A spokesman told CNN that the company had reported the events to the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Refugee Resettlement Office and the local police as soon as they occurred.
Also in September, a former youth worker was found guilty of mistreating teens at the Casa Kokopelli plant in Southwest Key, Mesa, Arizona between August 2016 and July 2017.
The New York Times reported in December that the Justice Department was investigating Southwest Key for possible misuse of millions of dollars in federal funds. A Southwest Key spokesman told CNN that federal investigators have not yet contacted him.

Southwest Key and the US prosecutor's office on Monday refused to confirm or deny the fact that an investigation is ongoing.

Devon Sayers and Drew Griffin from CNN contributed to this story.

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