Washington, July 12 (RHC),-- U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Republicans to back his funding request for the migrant crisis on the Mexico border. Obama has asked the U.S. Congress for $3.7 billion to speed up deportations and improve care for tens of thousands of detained children.

Earlier this week, Obama met with Republican Govenor Rick Perry during a fundraising trip to Texas. Obama repeated his plea that Central American parents not send their children to the border, and called on Republicans to approve the funding.

More than 52,000 unaccompanied children fleeing violence and poverty in Central America have been seized since October. The United Nations has called on the United States to consider treating them as refugees following a report finding close to 60 percent of those detained could be entitled to refugee protections under international law.