A dramatic spike in unaccompanied children and families trying to slip in across the U.S.-Mexico border may be “the new normal,” officials say, with some believing the surge in children and families is linked to a federal ruling that ended long-term detentions.

The number of apprehensions of unaccompanied minors and family units — legal guardians with children under 18 — rushing the nation’s southwestern border peaked last year, then fell off as Obama tapped the Federal Emergency Management Agency to figure out what to do about the young refugees.

But in recent months, apprehensions have proliferated again: More than 10,000 undocumented children have been stopped in just the last two months, according toU.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The 10,588 apprehensions are a 106 percent increase over the same Oct. 1 through Nov. 30 period from last year, when 5,129 kids were picked up.

Read the article “Surge in Children, Families at the US Border May Be the ‘New Normal’” on nbcnews.com.