Washington, July 26 (Xinhua-RHC),-- The Presidents of the United States and three Central American countries met on Friday to discuss their collaboration to address an influx of minors and families crossing the U.S. border with Mexico.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden met with President Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala, Salvador Sanchez Ceren of El Salvador and Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras at the White House.

"We reiterate our commitment to prevent families and children from undertaking this dangerous journey and to work together to promote safe, legal, and orderly migration," said a joint statement issued after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Obama said that while the United States has "great compassion" for the children and other migrants, those without proper claims to stay in the United States will be sent back to their home countries.

"We have to deter a continuing influx of children putting themselves at great risk, and families putting their children at great risk," Obama added.

The leaders pledged to continue to pursue criminal and smuggling networks and agreed to redouble their joint efforts to counter misinformation about U.S. immigration policy, according to the statement.

The Central American presidents indicated to Obama that they are working on a comprehensive plan to address the underlying causes of the humanitarian situation on the border, it said.

The meeting comes as the Obama administration continues to press Congress for more resources to confront the flood of migrants, especially children. More than 57,000 unaccompanied children and thousands more adults with children have crossed the border since October.