U.S. holds record number of migrant children

The United States is currently detaining a record number of migrant children. The New York Times reported Wednesday that population levels at federal shelters for migrant children have spiked, increasing fivefold since last summer.

The government is now holding nearly 13,000 migrant children, up from 2,400 in May of last year, according to the Times. Most of the children crossed the border alone without their parents.

The report said the reason for the spike is not an increase in the number of children crossing the border but rather a reduction in the number of underage migrants the government has released to live with families or sponsors within the United States.