(Image source from: NBC News)

In a report on the Trump administration's "pilot program" for immigration policy of separating migrant parents from their children began months prior to the official introduction of zero tolerance, for far-flung prosecutions in Texas, merely seemingly did not create a unsubtle system for parents to track or reunite with their kids, according to report.

According to officials, at least 2,342 children were separated from their parents after being apprehended crossing the border illegally since May 5, when the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy towards migrants went into effect.

Over 1,768 families were separated between October 2016 and February 2018, bringing the total number of separated kids to more than 4,100, according to Department of Homeland Security. Though, it is unclear how many were separated after January 2017 - President Donald Trump's inauguration.

According to DHS, the practice of separating families predates the Trump presidency but also confirmed that, from July 2017 to October 2017, the Trump administration ran what the official called a "pilot program" for zero tolerance in El Paso.

In response to questions from a media source, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection said that prior to zero tolerance, the agency had no policy of separating families for reasons other than medical need, fraud or criminal cases, which could include criminal immigration violations.

By Sowmya Sangam