The flood of illegal immigrants trying to sneak across America's southern border may be the "new normal,"
NBC News quotes a government official as saying.
Apprehensions of unaccompanied minors or legal guardians traveling with children under age 18 hit a high mark in 2014, but leveled off after actions were taken following an outcry from Republicans that President Barack Obama's policies were encouraging people to send their children from Central America through Mexican "coyotes," or smugglers.
Now, NBC reports, those numbers are on the rise again.
More than 10,000 undocumented children were stopped at the border in the past two months, according to
U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics. That is more than double the number apprehended during the same period last year.
The number of family units caught trying to cross the border is even higher. A total of 12,505 detentions were reported in October-November 2015, beating 2014's number of 4,577. That was a 173 percent increase.
"We could very well be seeing the new normal," U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske told NBC News.
The surge is seen by many border agents and officials as a reaction to a court ruling by U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee, who said federal officials must cut down detention time of those caught trying to enter the country illegally.
Unaccompanied minors now must be released from federal detention centers to a relative in the United States after no more than five days. Parents must receive a quick release also unless deemed a flight risk.
Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said that ruling is only exacerbating the problem.
"The word is, come on ahead and the border is open, the Obama administration is going to take good care of you," Goodlatte told NBC News.
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