Remarks to the Press with Q&A by Vice President Joe Biden in Guatemala

The United States, to state the obvious, is greatly concerned by the startling number of unaccompanied minors that - children and teenagers who are making a very perilous journey through Central America to reach the United States.

I'm going to address the steps we're taking on the immediate crisis in a moment, but in the meantime, here in Central America, I want to talk first about our work together to give citizens in Central America security and - so that they can thrive - and not feel the need or be compelled to try to get to the United States of America, or Mexico, for that matter.

Long before narcotrafficking - a major problem in Central America, there was still tens of thousands of people over time - Central America to the United States.

On June 1, President Obama directed the Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, to bring to bear the assets of the entire federal government of the United States of America.

The United States is going to provide almost $10 million - $9.6 million immediately to help the Central American governments receive, reintegrate and care for their citizens repatriated from the United States.

We can, A, first make clear in each of our countries in an unrelenting way, not just with a public service announcement, that there is no free pass, that none of these children or women bringing children will be eligible under the existing law in the United States of America.

So there are larger, longer term, major initiatives that if we continue to work together from Canada, Mexico and the United States, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, there is a possibility - not a hundred years from now, but in the next three to 10 years - to begin to change the economic circumstances and opportunity here in Central America.

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/remarks-press-qa-vice-president-joe-biden-guatemala