Laurie Roberts

Looks like things are about to get ugly, Murrieta-style, in Arizona.

A group of citizens in Oracle is planning to try to block the federal government from delivering 40 or more Central American children to a boy's ranch that houses at-risk kids, according to a story on azcentral.com and in TheArizona Republic.

The protest/blockade is set for Tuesday morning, inspired, apparently, by the citizens of Murrieta, Calif., who recently blocked buses full of migrants from entering their fine community.

And with a little help from Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, who on Monday put out word that "whistle-blowers" within the Department of Homeland Security have informed him that 40 to 60 of these children are headed our way.

Tuesday morning Babeu said Oracle protesters on Mt. Lemmon highway had blocked the road with their vehicles, but moved at his request.

"We already have our hands full fighting the Drug Cartels and Human Smugglers," Babeu said in a press release. "We don't need unaccompanied juveniles from Central American being flown in to Arizona -- compliments of President Obama. Local residents have every right to be upset and to protest. Our federal government has failed to enforce any immigration laws. These children should be returned to their home country -- not to Oracle, Arizona paid for by American taxpayers."

So now comes Oracle, hoping to turn children away from Sycamore Canyon Academy.

"We're going to mobilize and we're going to do the best we can to stop this from happening," Robert Skiba told the Breitbart News. "We're prepared for whatever happens. If they want to send in the SWAT team, armored cars, helicopters, let them do it. We'll have the media out there."

"The boy's ranch is almost at capacity now and can't handle 40 additional kids," he said. "This is an area that's very primitive. The current facility is almost at capacity. How are they going to handle the sewage?

"They're sneaking these people in the back door, and we're not supposed to know anything about it … Putting these 40 kids up in this beautiful place -- this is like putting these kids in the country club," he added.

No doubt, it will feel like a country club to these children, who are fleeing unthinkable conditions in their home countries.

Instead of being met with compassion and care until we can safely send them home, these children will be met with furious faces and protest signs. No doubt, a few of our esteemed candidates for governor will also be there, eager to join in the screaming. (Hey, it'll be good for a campaign pic!)

The face of America -- not such a pretty sight when we're mad at children.

Somehow, I really did think we were better than this.