The Trump administration reduces the education of migrant children as apprehensions soar

The Trump administration said on Wednesday it "reduced or halted" the payment of activities for some 13,000 undocumented migrant children living in US shelters, "including education, legal services and recreation "because the program is dangerously short of money.

The move came as the Border Patrol announced that it had apprehended more than 132,000 migrants in May, including more than 57,000 children and more than 11,000 people traveling without a parent.

The total number for May is the highest monthly total since 2006 and CBP officials have announced plans to exceed one million arrests by the end of the federal fiscal year.

"We are in a state of total emergency, and I can not say any more, the system is down," CBP acting commissioner John Sanders told reporters on Wednesday.

Mark Weber, spokesperson for the Refugee Resettlement Office of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, said the HHS was cutting back its activities "which are not directly necessary for the protection of life and safety." "

Wilfredo Lee / AP, FILE

"Additional resources are urgently needed to address the humanitarian needs generated by this influx – both for child protection and release operations, and for increasing capacity," said Weber in a statement to ABC. News.

The Trump administration has asked Congress for emergency funding of $ 2.9 billion to care for migrant children.

HHS runs shelters throughout the country for children until they can be communicated to a sponsor, usually a parent or other family member already residing in the United States.

Congress has indicated its willingness to pay for migrant children, but Democrats worry about giving the administration another sum that can be used for other border security spending.

The federal government has struggled to respond to the influx of migrants. The Department of Homeland Security told ABC News last week that some 2,400 miners were waiting at border patrol stations to be picked up by the HHS and officials blamed the lack of sleeping space.

HHS funds one of the largest sites through a private company called Caliburn International, which runs its unaccompanied minors center in Homestead, Florida. Despite budget cuts, Caliburn chief executive Jim Van Dusen said the company was "proud" to support refugee resettlement.

"Our top priority at the Homestead Emergency Shelter remains the safety and well-being of children, which is why we will strive to maintain our high standard of care," said Dusen in a statement to ABC News.

The Homestead Refuge has expanded to accommodate the influx of migrant children at the border. Its population of children has more than doubled in the last year.

HHS said last week that there is no empty space and that all migrant children in need of a shelter should be brought to its premises through the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Act. ". ICE referred the questions to the Department of Homeland Security and HHS.