Thousands of migrant children are reportedly being held in U.S. custody longer than is legally allowed.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that government documents show that thousands of detained migrant children have remained in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody longer than the 72 hours mandated under federal law and binding court decisions.

The reason for the delay, officials told the Post, is the slow speed at which employees at the Department of Health and Human Services have been transferring migrant children into better shelters from DOJ custody.

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“It’s a daily battle,” one unnamed Border Patrol agent told the Post. “You catch a thousand people a day, and then you can only process 750 a day. The agents are working their tails off trying to get this squared away, but it’s a daily struggle with the amount of people we’re encountering.”

Justice Department officials on Friday did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill.

Border Patrol facilities near the U.S.-Mexico border have been overwhelmed in recent months by an influx of migrants, especially family units, that have crossed the border illegally, usually applying for asylum.

"CBP is facing an unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis all along our Southwest Border and nowhere has that crisis manifested more acutely than here in El Paso,” acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said in March.

President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE on Thursday announced that the situation on the border has reached crisis levels, and added that his administration would implement tariffs on Mexican imports until the problem of illegal border crossings was resolved.

"On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP," he wrote.