The number of children caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has surged over the last two years, raising questions about whether the Obama administrations' changing immigration policies are creating a magnet.
Statistics released late last week show 24,668 "unaccompanied alien children" were placed last year in the care of the federal agency that, by law, is responsible for them.
That's nearly double the number from 2012, and nearly quadruple the number in years past.
A federal judge in Texas claimed earlier this month that the Department of Homeland Security has been delivering children smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border to their illegal immigrant parents.
In June 2012, the administration decided to give a reprieve to young illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
According to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, most of the minors come from Central America, largely Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
The stats show a big spike over the past two years. The office recorded an "unprecedented increase" in 2012.
Most of the children are housed through a network of federally funded care centers. But as the traffic increases, those are becoming over-burdened. The situation drew national attention in 2012 when Lackland Air Force Base was used.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/23/feds-see-surge-in-children-crossing-us-border-amid-concerns-over-immigration/