Number of child immigrants at border declining

WASHINGTON — The number of immigrant children caught alone illegally crossing the Mexican border into the United States is continuing to drop.

Officials of the Customs and Border Protection agency, a part of the Homeland Security Department, say agents apprehended 3,129 unaccompanied child immigrants in August. In July, agents found more than 5,400 children. Homeland Security said that in June, agents were finding more than 2,000 children a week.

Since Oct. 1 more than 66,000 unaccompanied children have been found crossing the border illegally. Most are from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

The crush of Central American children found crossing the border caught the Obama administration off guard earlier this year and strained Homeland Security’s resources. President Barack Obama has called the situation a humanitarian crisis.

ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press