(Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama asked Congress for anemergency $3.7 billion to contain the surge of Central Americanimmigrants, many of them unaccompanied children, crossing illegallyinto the United States from Mexico.

The money would increase detainment and court capacity to speeddecisions, while expanding law enforcement and prosecution of thecriminal networks that smuggle people over the border. Theadministration would also improve the temporary housing and carefor immigrants while their cases are judged.

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“Without supplemental funding,” the administration said in afact sheet released today, “agencies will not have sufficientresources to adequately address this situation.”

More than 52,000 unaccompanied children were apprehended at theU.S.-Mexico border from Oct. 1 through June 15, about double thetotal in a similar period a year earlier, U.S. Customs and BorderProtection reported. Most of the children are smuggled throughCentral America and Mexico, according to the White House.

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The $3.7 billion request covers four areas: deterrence,enforcement, foreign assistance and capacity -- paying for thedetention, care and transportation of children already in the U.S.The supplemental appropriation request also will include $615million for the Agriculture Department for wildfiresuppression.

Child refugees

Almost half of the $3.7 billion for the immigration effort --$1.8 billion -- would go to the Department of Health and HumanServices to provide care for unaccompanied children and refugeesalready here, a provision likely to draw controversy fromcongressional Republicans who argue the president has not beenaggressive enough about border security or deportations.

The White House fact sheet said that overall apprehension ratesat the southwest U.S. border are at “near historic lows” even asapprehensions of unaccompanied minors has swelled.

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The Department of Homeland Security would use $1.1 billion ofthe total to increase detention space for children and adults thatmeets “legal and humanitarian standards” and to ensure “protectionof asylum seekers and refugees while enabling the prompt removal ofindividuals who do not qualify for asylum” or other relief.

The supplemental request also follows visits in recent weeks byVice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry to meetwith leaders from countries where the child immigration trend ismost acute -- El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

The fact sheet said the administration is committing resourcesto boost those countries’ capacity to “receive and reintegratereturned individuals and address the underlying security andeconomic issues that cause migration.”

See also:

• Obama deportation review seen as crucial
• Fines for I-9 errors on the rise
• California doubles down on Latino enrollment

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