Global outcry rises over US border policy

• Images of migrant children 'deeply disturbing': UK

• US top destination for  asylum-seekers: OECD

International condemnation is growing against the US policy of separating migrant families at its border.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said holding children "in what appear to be cages [is] deeply disturbing" and "wrong". Pope Francis said he supported US Catholic bishops who said it was "immoral".

US President Donald Trump told Republican lawmakers Tuesday he backed their efforts to craft an immigration solution that ends the politically toxic practice of separating families on the US-Mexico border.

Just hours after doubling down on his administration's much-derided policy that triggers separations of migrant children from their parents, Trump braved frustrated and in some cases angry fellow Republicans to assure he wanted their swift resolution to the crisis.

While top officials have stood by Trump's "zero tolerance" approach, insisting children are being held in humane conditions, criticism has swelled from international rights groups, Christian evangelicals, former US first ladies and the president's own Republican Party.

With emotions running high, a handful of House Democrats protested the Trump meeting, yelling out at Trump in a rare face-to-face demonstration against a president by sitting members of Congress.

"Quit separating the kids!" Juan Vargas, a Democrat from southern California, shouted as Trump exited the meeting. "Mr President, don't you have kids?"

Republican lawmakers emerged from the 45-minute huddle energized that Trump was giving his backing to legislation that House leaders expect to bring to a vote this week, reported AFP.

White House spokesman Raj Shah said Trump "endorsed both House immigration bills" during the meeting, adding that they "solve the border crisis and family separation issue by allowing for family detention and removal."

"I'm with you 100 percent," Trump said, according to Shah.

The OECD said in a report published yesterday the United States received more asylum requests than any other developed nation in 2017, overtaking Germany.

Germany meanwhile saw a 73 percent drop in applications to 198,000 as the massive influx to Europe across the Mediterranean has slowed, the report said.