Some of the high ranking Democrats called on Obama administration to reverse their immigration policy of detaining Central American immigrant families as they fear that it could damage young children being housed in the facilities.

This detention policy was scripted and implemented last summer as tens of thousands of families and unaccompanied children rushed to US border.

Earlier, the United States stopped housing immigrant families in a troubled Texas detention facility. However, the Obama administration eased down the restrictions. But, due to immense pressure from Republicans in Congress to stop the record numbers of children and families seeking refuge in the United States and arriving without visas.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont and eight other Democrats wrote Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Thursday to complain about the confinements.

“Mothers and their children who have fled violence in their home countries should not be treated like criminals,” wrote the senators, who also comprised Democratic leadership members Dick Durbin of Illinois, Charles Schumer of New York and Patty Murray of Washington state.