The number of migrant children in detention centers is over five times higher than it was at one point last summer.
According to The New York Times, there were 2,400 children in custody in May 2017. This month, there are almost 13,000.
The spike isn't due to more children coming into the country. It's from children being held in detention centers rather than being released to sponsors and family members in the U.S.
Many of the children came to the U.S. alone, but, as of August 30th, about 500 in custody were separated from their parents and are still waiting to be reunited, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
