Acting OMB Director Russ Vought speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, March 11, 2019, in Washington. (Photo: AP)

The Trump administration is asking Congress to set up a fund of up to $2 billion to pay for sheltering migrant children who arrive with their families or alone at the U.S. border.

The president’s budget calls for the additional resources over a three-year period. The first installment in 2020 would total $480 million.

The issue of migrant children turned into a political debacle last summer for the administration after its “zero tolerance” policy led to parents and kids being separated at the border. But migrant children — often young teens — have been arriving for years.

The budget says the number of children requiring care is “inherently unpredictable” and more money is needed to ensure enough room in government shelters. Most kids are eventually released to parents or relatives.