Texas Gov. Rick Perry is accusing the Obama administration of "perpetuating" a recent "surge" in illegal immigrant children who are crossing into the U.S. from Mexico and Central America without their parents and often falling straight into government care. 

In a letter obtained by Fox News, Perry wrote to President Obama on Friday citing stats that show more than 5,200 "unaccompanied minors" were taken into U.S. custody in the first six months of the fiscal year -- a more than 90 percent increase compared with the same period a year ago. 

Perry, a former Republican presidential candidate, claimed that a failure to immediately send them back is "perpetuating the problem" by encouraging other children and teenagers to make the trek. He said the journey is dangerous for the children, and their flow into the United States is a burden on his state and others. The governor urged the administration to eliminate the "temptation" to make "this tragic and illegal migration."