Under current policy, families who cross the border are detained while they await court proceedings.

…The Journal noted that conditions at detention facilities has come under scrutiny in recent years. Multiple children have died in recent months in the custody of Border Patrol.

…The influx of migrants has come as thousands of migrants have fled violence in Central America and sought asylum [emphasis: peanut gallery] in the United States.

Trump administration to stop detaining some migrant families at border: report | TheHill

hmmm