( CNN ) -- Angry protesters forced three buses carrying undocumented immigrants to turn around Tuesday in Southern California . The immigrants had arrived in San Diego from south Texas and were on their way to be processed at the Murrieta Border Patrol station . Protesters chanting `` USA ! '' `` Impeach Obama ! '' and `` Deport , Deport ! '' blocked their route . A heated yelling match ensued between the demonstrators and a group of counterprotesters . As the buses were forced to retreat , the roughly 140 people on board were taken to a border station in San Ysidro , according to Ron Zermeno with the National Border Patrol Council . It was not immediately clear whether they would stay there or what would happen next . The U.S. government is struggling to process and accommodate an influx of undocumented immigrants , and specifically a spike in immigrant children . The government does n't have enough beds , food or sanitary facilities . To help relieve crowded facilities in Texas , undocumented immigrants are now being sent elsewhere to be processed . Murrieta Police Chief Sean Hadden said that police there had been told to expect 140 immigrants every 72 hours , with the next group scheduled to arrive on Friday . Authorities estimate 60,000 to 80,000 children without parents will cross the border this year in what the White House has called an `` immediate humanitarian crisis . '' The mayor of Murrieta , Alan Long , had urged residents Monday to protest the decision to move undocumented immigrants to the area , the Los Angeles Times reported . He spoke again Tuesday at a Murrieta City Council meeting , thanking police and others . `` Please remember these are human beings that are fleeing the violence in their home countries . The problem is that they need to come into this country the legal way , '' Long said . Obama to take executive action on immigration . Vargas : Undocumented and hiding in plain sight . Crossroads of hope and fear : Stories from a desert bus station . CNN 's Rosalina Nieves contributed to this report .
NEW : `` Remember these are human beings that are fleeing the violence , '' mayor says . The mayor's comments came as he visited a makeshift camp for migrants in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where more than 1,000 people have been camped out since last week. The immigrants had arrived for processing from south Texas . The U.S. has been dealing with increasing numbers of children crossing the border .