As we become more and more concerned about the well-being of children held in ICE custody, questions have begun to arise about just who is looking after these children separated from their parents.

According to a Texas Monthly report, a case manager at Texas-based nonprofit immigrant shelter Southwest Key Casa Padre has a worrying police record.

The nonprofit, which oversees the care of immigrant minors, hired former border patrol agent Ernesto Padron as a case manager; his duties included working with children to reunite them with their families.

Padron was a former border patrol agent who resigned after being arrested on child pornography possession charges. Padron was busted in an FBI sting in 2008 and resigned from his border patrol position in October 2010.

Prosecution of Padron's case stalled under Cameron County's then district attorney, Armando Villalobos, who was later indicted on corruption charges. Once current district attorney Luis Saenz was able to review the backlog of cases, the statute of limitations on Padron's case had lapsed, and the case was dismissed.

“In our hiring, extensive background checks are conducted on applicants; however, because Mr. Padron was not convicted of the charges you referenced (or any other disqualifying criminal charges), he was cleared for employment,” Southwest Key spokeswoman Lizzie Chen informed Texas Monthly in an emailed statement. “When we became aware of Mr. Padron’s situation, he was immediately suspended, and he never worked at our shelter again.”

So, the ultimate question is: how did Padron get past Southwest Key Casa Padre's background checks?

State inspections show the nonprofit has a history of inefficient and improper background checks, including failing to “timely submit the information required to conduct a renewal background check.”

Other reported infractions include failing to check a potential employer on the State Child Abuse and Neglect Registry and hiring an employee who failed a drug test.

A Texas Tribune report found the organization's sixteen facilities racked up 246 state inspection violations in the last three years.

Ernesto Padron

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week