Immigration rights groups attacked North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory for his comments regarding the unaccompanied minors, mostly Central Americans, being sent to reside in his state.

According to WRAL, almost 1,200 children who were caught at the border in the first half of 2014 have been sent to relatives or sponsors in North Carolina. At a news conference on Tuesday, McCrory predicted the number to increase "fairly dramatically" when data from July arrives. He added that this year, North Carolina has already received double the average of immigrant children it sees annually.

"This I not just a border issue any longer," he said. "If the numbers continue to increase at this rate, it could have a severe impact on the current resources that we have to take care of North Carolina children."

The governor added that information on the children, including medical history, has been limited. He requested that President Barack Obama and Congress end their vacations so they can solve the problem of unaccompanied minors flooding to his state and other states.

"We're not in the loop," McCrory said. "At a minimum, we want to know who they are, where they're going and who their sponsors are. Questions are being asked, but a thorough review is not being done. ... I'm worried about these children."

The governor's comments have incited criticism from various immigrant rights groups including Latin American Coalition, a Charlotte-based group and "vocal advocate for unity and dialogue between diverse populations to counteract the cultural backlash and friction brought about by the dramatic demographic shifts in the region," its website says.

"It's the most irresponsible thing we could do, given that those children are refugees who have arrived here fleeing from danger in their countries. North Carolina is, and must continue to be, a state that welcomes all recently arrived people," Armando Bellmas, spokesman for the group, told EFE on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, El Pueblo, a Raleigh-based group that works "with Latino community members and allies to develop leadership skills and elevate the dialogue around policy issues at the local, state, and national level," according to its website, released a statement on Gov. McCrory's comments, saying the group "decries" his words and feels "dismay."

"Governor McCrory is sending a clear message that immigrants, even children who are fleeing violence, are unwelcome in North Carolina," Angeline Echeverría, El Pueblo executive director, said in the statement. "The Governor continues to waste state resources by focusing his time and energy on this media campaign to criticize federal authorities. The Governor should work to ensure that all children who come to North Carolina, regardless of their immigration status, have the opportunity to grow up in safe, healthy communities."
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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