A new report shows Florida is one of four states receiving the most undocumented children coming into the U.S.

Florida, along with Texas, New York and California account for 46 percent of the more than 30,000 children who have been released to sponsors this year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Advocates in the Tampa Bay area rallied at a Clearwater intersection on Friday in support of the children.

They said once the children get to the U.S. they don't have proper representation to avoid getting deported.

"It's a humanitarian crisis issue," said Maria Jose Hays. "These children are refugees. They're not illegal immigrants, they're children. They're seeking help because they just can't get it from their countries."

The report said the children are often placed in shelters or released to friends or family members while they go through the deportation process.

"We have seen a lot of children coming here to Florida to look for shelter," said Paola Calvo-Florido, a representative from the ACLU. "Most of them are being placed in South Florida but we're seeing them come to Central Florida, to Orlando and Tampa, too." 

The ACLU spokeswoman said the children aren't getting the legal representation they need to navigate through the system.

"We're really concerned. We want to make sure they're getting the legal representation they deserve. That they're given fair trials like they deserve and we're really concerned about the due process violations that could occur," said Calvo-Florido.

The ACLU is suing to have the federal government provide lawyers for the children.

People at the rally were also supporting the Vulnerable Immigrant Voices Act in Congress.

It's a bill that could grant the children legal representation.

Officials say that many of the children are fleeing South American countries to escape gang violence and poverty.

Florida's Surgeon General recently wrote a letter to the federal government questioning unconfirmed reports that dozens of undocumented children were being flown to Miami.

He expressed concern about whether the children were getting adequate medical screenings once they arrived.

A spokesman said so far, no one has responded to the Surgeon General's request for information.