Over 50,000 undocumented individuals were apprehended at the US-Mexico border in March 2018; a 203% increase from the same period last year according to new statistics released by the US Customs and Border Protection Agency.

The new data shows 50,308 people were either detained or refused entrance into the United States through the nation’s southern border last month; a drastic increase from March 2017 and a 37% increase from February of this year.

The crackdown has forced human traffickers to alter their techniques; sending more and more children with the hopes of gaining entry into the US accompanied by minors.

“The traffickers and smugglers know that, if you arrive with a family, under our current legal and court system, you have a much better chance of being released into the United States,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

“We have seen the smugglers advertise this as an enticement. And we have seen traffickers, unfortunately, fraudulently use children to gain entry into our country,” she added.

h/t CNS News