Donald Trump signs executive order to end family separations at border

US president Donald Trump has signed an executive order to end family separations at US-Mexico border.

Trump's move comes following widespread protest for separating more than 2,500 children from their parents who had entered the country illegally.

"We're keeping families together, and this will solve that problem," Trump told reporters. "At the same time, we are keeping a very powerful border and it continues to be a zero-tolerance. We have zero tolerance for people that enter our country illegally," he added.

Trump added: "And border security will be equal, if not greater than previously. We are going to have very strong borders, but we're going to keep the families together."

As per the order,  the Department of Homeland Security have been entrusted with the task to keep families together while they await trial for illegally coming into the US.

The president also said he did not like the feeling of separating families."It's a problem that's gone on for many years, as you know, through many administrations. We are working very hard on immigration. It's been left out in the cold. People haven't dealt with it, and we are dealing with it," he said.

Trump has been facing severe heat for his zero tolerance policy that have resulted in many children being separated from their parents. Earlier this week, an audio recording surfaced that had children pleading to be reunited with their parents.

On Wednesday, actor Peter Fonda made headlines when he criticised Trump via a tweet that said Trump's son Barron, 12, should be taken away from his family.

“WE SHOULD RIP BARRON TRUMP FROM HIS MOTHER’S ARMS AND PUT HIM IN A CAGE WITH PEDOPHILES AND SEE IF MOTHER WILL STAND UP AGAINST THE GIANT A—HOLE SHE IS MARRIED TO,” he wrote. “90 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STREETS ON THE SAME WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY. F—K.”

However, he later backtracked later after facing backlash for his remarks.

“I tweeted something highly inappropriate and vulgar about the president and his family in response to the devastating images I was seeing on television,” Fonda explained in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Like many Americans, I am impassioned and distraught over the situation with children separated from their families at the border, but I went way too far. It was wrong and I should not have done it. I immediately regretted it and sincerely apologize to the family for what I said and any hurt my words have caused.”