US reps urge Trump admin to cut ties with Pittsburgh nonprofit
Lee joined the call to suspend Abraxas’s contract and said children should not be placed in a facility with a documented history of abuse.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The reporting is attributed to USA TODAY Network and includes named local reporting, official responses and statements from the organization involved. Yahoo is carrying an attributed article from an established news network rather than presenting the reporting as its own.
- Source type — An attributed article from an established national news network, republished by a major news platform.
- Author attribution — A named Pittsburgh Connect Reporter is credited.
- Source diversity — The report attributes information to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, lawmakers, HHS, Abraxas and the governor’s office.
The article provides specific allegations and inspection details with attribution, and includes responses from HHS, Abraxas and the governor’s office. Much of the background relies on another outlet’s reporting, and the article does not present a detailed response from Abraxas to each allegation.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article gives substantial detail about the allegations and the lawmakers’ demand, while also presenting HHS’s compliance statement, Abraxas’s safety statement and the governor’s office’s explanation of its position. It offers less detail from Abraxas addressing the specific allegations.
- Counterarguments presented — HHS, Abraxas and the governor’s office provide responses or explain their positions.
- Source diversity — The article includes lawmakers, government agencies, the nonprofit and reporting attributed to another outlet.
- Omitted context — The organization’s response is brief and does not address each allegation in detail.
The article reports the lawmakers’ criticism and the abuse allegations, but also includes responses from HHS, Abraxas and the governor’s office. Its language is mostly attributed and does not clearly favor a political party.
- Language tone — Mostly factual language, with strongly worded criticism presented as quotations from lawmakers and advocates.
- Source selection — Includes statements from the lawmakers, HHS, Abraxas and the governor’s office.
- Framing — Centers on the contract and allegations while providing context for the state’s concern about transferring children.
Republished with credit
Republished from USA Today, with credit to the original publisher.
13 stories · 79–84 · updated Oct 5, 2026
This is USA Today's own score, and this article is credited to USA Today. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.
Four House Democrats urged the Trump administration on July 30 to suspend its contract with Abraxas Alliance pending an investigation into allegations of abuse at the nonprofit’s facilities. HHS and Abraxas defended their safety practices, while Pennsylvania officials cited oversight concerns about transferring children back to federal custody.
Reps. Chris Deluzio, Summer Lee, Madeleine Dean and Raja Krishnamoorthi asked the Department of Health and Human Services to suspend its contract with Abraxas Alliance until a full investigation could be completed. Their letter cited state inspectors’ documentation of at least 15 incidents involving staff physically mistreating children at the Morgantown facility since 2023, including two cases involving alleged sexual abuse or harassment. The article also describes lawsuits alleging abuse over a period of years and reports that Pennsylvania revoked the license for a separate secure detention unit at the facility; Abraxas appealed, and a decision was pending.
Lee and Deluzio made statements criticizing the placement of children at the facility, and Dean had visited it earlier in the month. The article notes that Sen. Ron Wyden had previously urged the administration to end the contract and investigate the decision, while Sen. John Fetterman supported his call. HHS said its refugee resettlement office works to ensure children’s safety and follows its legal obligations; Abraxas said safety is its highest priority. Pennsylvania’s governor’s office said increased oversight was in place and warned that closing the facility could return children to federal custody, where the state would lose oversight authority.
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SWIPE →Representative who joined the letter urging suspension of the Abraxas contract
Representative who joined the letter urging suspension of the Abraxas contract
Deluzio's version of this story ↗
Representative who joined the lawmakers’ letter
Former attorney general addressed in Wyden’s earlier call
Senator who previously urged the administration to end the contract and investigate the partnership
President referenced in Deluzio’s criticism of the administration’s immigration policy
Senator who supported Wyden’s call to terminate the contract
Health secretary addressed in Wyden’s earlier call
Representative who joined the letter urging suspension of the Abraxas contract
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