WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The southern border is seeing an influx of thousands of migrants seeking asylum.

Customs and border patrol reports there’s been a 28% spike between January and February.

Republican lawmakers say President Joe Biden is solely to blame as they work to address the growing problem.

“It’s time for the president to actually addresses this crisis,” Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said.

Hawley is demanding answers from the Biden administration following a surge of unaccompanied minors at the southern border.

“We’ve got 10,000 children who have been detained at the border in the month of February … the border is exploding. It’s in crisis,” Hawley said.

Hawley is calling on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security secretary to testify before senators to explain their immigration strategy.

At a Thursday press conference, Republican House leaders blamed the surge on the Biden administration’s changes to asylum and immigration policies.

“President Biden announced it was his priority to offer citizenship to 11 million undocumented immigrants … What did he think would happen?” Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said.

Several House Republicans are now planning a trip to the border.

Meanwhile, the White House is refusing to call the influx of migrants a crisis.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki insists Biden is working to address the problem.

“It doesn’t matter what you call it, it is an enormous challenge,” Psaki said. “There are a variety of actions under consideration including identifying and assessing other license facilitates that could help add safe capacity for these children.”

Psaki rejected the idea that the administration supports opened borders.

“The facts are the vast, vast majority of people who come to our border are turned away,” Psaki said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was asked about the issue Thursday. She says she trusts the humanitarian approach the Biden administration is taking and called Republican outrage a diversion tactic.