More than 100 undocumented children without families were expected to arrive in Arizona from south Texas on Sunday as part of a federal transport of underage immigrants to the state by the Department of Homeland Security , a spokesman said . Last week , nearly 1,000 `` unaccompanied alien children '' had already arrived in Tucson and Phoenix from places like McAllen and El Paso , Texas , as part of a resettlement process of the minors , most of whom come from Central America , to their native countries . Unlike a Mexican immigrant who arrives to the United States , a Central American immigrant can not be processed as quickly because of proximity to their native country . Homeland Security is prohibited from immediately deporting the children if they are not from Canada or Mexico , causing the backlog of immigrants in U.S. detention centers . Facilities in Texas were at or near capacity for the immigrants because of a `` record increase in underage migrants , '' which led to the transfer of hundreds to Arizona , a spokesman said . Although children crossing the border alone has long been an issue , the recent spike could be attributed to better weather or worsening economic conditions in their home countries , officials said . Others simply want to be reunited with their parents , who may have left them with relatives in their native countries . Separate from unaccompanied children being sent to the state , family groups were also being sent by the federal government to Arizona , a process that has outraged Arizona lawmakers , including Gov . Jan Brewer . She released a statement Friday saying that DHS was transporting `` thousands of illegal aliens and releasing them at bus stations in Tucson and Phoenix . '' `` I am disturbed and outraged that President Obama 's administration continues to implement this dangerous and inhumane policy , meanwhile neglecting to answer crucial questions our citizens demand and deserve , '' Brewer wrote . `` Not only does the federal government have no plan to stop this disgraceful policy , it also has no plan to deal with the endless waves of illegal aliens once they are released here , '' Brewer added . As of late last week , Immigration and Customs Enforcement was no longer releasing `` large family groups '' at the bus stops in Arizona , a DHS spokesman said , but children under age 17 are continuing to be transferred to the state . `` The situation with the kids are they came by themselves , they have no relatives here , and the consulates ca n't keep up . They 're in limbo . There 's no one ( back home ) to deport them to , '' a DHS spokesman told CNN . Raising a larger humanitarian concern are the conditions to which the immigrant children are arriving . A facility in Nogales , Arizona , with capacity for about 1,500 , does not have enough food or beds to accommodate the current demand , a spokesman said . There are currently no showers for the immigrants , either , but those were expected to be in place by Tuesday , according to a spokesman . `` The Nogales processing center is equipped and used for processing apprehended individuals . The Tucson Sector has secured additional services such as a Health and Human Services medical screening area , additional bedding , shower areas and laundry facilities . Vendors have been contracted to provide nutritional meals , FEMA will be providing counseling services and recreational activities , '' U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement . `` Upon completion of CBP processing ... custody determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis , '' the statement said . The record spike in migrants coming from Central America and crossing into the United States via Mexico is not expected to slow down , a spokesman told CNN . More than 60,000 unaccompanied juveniles are expected to cross in 2014 , said Chris Cabrera , vice president of the National Border Patrol Council in the Rio Grande Valley , a U.S. Border Patrol workers union . `` We are seeing numbers that we 've never seen before in this part of the country , '' Cabrera told CNN last month . `` Yesterday , we had 60 minors in one station alone . You 're talking kids from 17 years old , on down to some that are 5 or 6 years old , traveling by themselves . '' Last year , roughly 10 % of people caught by Border Patrol agents were minors , according to a Border Patrol official . States work around Obamacare to help undocumented immigrants . New federal guidelines ban schools from conducting immigration checks on kids . Border showdown : Families demand U.S. entry to reunite with relatives .
The number of undocumented children has spiked , straining Arizona centers . the Rio Grande Valley has transferred nearly 1,000 youngsters to Arizona facilities . Better weather , worsening economies in Central America may be factors . Texas Gov . Obamacare objects to earlier family group transfers to her state .