Washington, June 23 (RHC)-- Responsibility for unaccompanied children and families who arrive in the U.S. at its southern border with Mexico appeared to have been shifted now to the U.S. military, with the Donald Trump administration calling on the Pentagon to make preparations to house approximately 20,000 children on military bases.

According to a Defense Department memo obtained by the media, the White House has asked the Pentagon whether it can admit unaccompanied migrant children at military bases from as early as July thru end of the year. Bases in Arkansas and Texas could be among those housing families and unaccompanied minors.

According to the Washington Post, the arrangement would involve keeping children on military bases for at least six months, until the end of 2018.

The deal between the Pentagon and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the care and supervision of unaccompanied children who immigrate to the U.S. via the southern border, follows reports that Defense Secretary James Mattis would send more than 20 military attorneys to border states to assist in prosecuting immigrants.