Nobel winner Malala Yousafzai slams Donald Trump's child separation policy

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai described as "cruel" a policy launched by US President Donald Trump to separate children of illegal immigrants from their families, during her first visit to South America to promote girls' education.

More than 2,300 children were separated from their parents after the Trump administration began a "zero tolerance" policy on illegal immigrants in early May, seeking to prosecute all adults who cross the border illegally from Mexico into the United States.

Trump stopped separating families last month following public outrage and court challenges.

Nearly 2,000 children were separated from their parents in the six week following the administration's announcement of a "zero-tolerance policy" against illegal border crossings.

The separations have triggered a nationwide outcry from Republicans and Democrats who say it is inhumane.

Trump earlier tweeted that he does not want America to have the same experience as that of Europe.

"We don't want what is happening with immigration in Europe to happen with us!," he said.

"The people of Germany are turning against their leadership as migration is rocking the already tenuous Berlin coalition. Crime in Germany is way up. Big mistake made all over Europe in allowing millions of people in who have so strongly and violently changed their culture!," Trump tweeted.

Trump blamed Democrats for the problem.

"I say it's very strongly the Democrats fault. he said.

He said Democrats should come to the table to come to an agreement on immigration legislation.

"If the Democrats would sit down instead of obstructing, we could have something done very quickly, Trump said. Good for the children, good for the country, good for the world. He said the US has the worst immigration laws in the world.

Trump said the world is watching US economic growth, and a legislative change would be maybe something for the world to watch as well.

US Customs and Border Protection said that 2,342 children had been separated from their parents at the border between May 5 and June 9.

The separations began after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in early April that all immigrants apprehended while crossing the US-Mexico border illegally should be criminally prosecuted.

Parents who are referred by border agents for prosecution were held in federal jails, while their children remain in US Customs and Border Protection custody or are moved into detention facilities managed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a Department of Health and Human Services agency.