Reporters who visited a South Texas holding facility for families arrested crossing the southern US border found families separated in a series of metal cages.
Some cages contain up to 20 children inside with food, water, and foil blankets scattered throughout.
The US Border Patrol says that close to 200 people inside the facility are minors unaccompanied by parents.
Over 2000 children have been separated from their parents since the introduction of the controversial homeland security policy, which directs officials to refer all cases of illegal entry into the US for prosecution.