Washington (CNN) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo released an open letter to President Donald Trump on Saturday that calls the administration's spending to detain immigrant children "shocking and irresponsible."

The letter from the Democratic governor starts out by saying, "Dear President Trump, It is both shocking and irresponsible -- but sadly not surprising -- that your administration is spending over a billion dollars to continue the immoral and un-American policy of detaining immigrant children."

CNN has previously reported that the US government doles out about $1 billion to nonprofits and local government agencies each year to house and provide services for detained migrant children.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on the letter.

The Trump administration's immigration policy has been under heightened scrutiny in recent weeks. After facing a backlash, the President reversed course and signed an executive order to halt the separation of undocumented immigrant families at the border. At the end of last month, a federal judge ordered the government to reunite separated families.

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