Washington: Early on in Malcolm Turnbull's infamous January 28, 2017 phone call with US President Donald Trump the Australian Prime Minister revealed something that has largely been ignored.

It could be significant in the light of Trump's "zero tolerance" policy on illegal immigration and the release of horrifying images and audio of crying children caught on the US-Mexico border and locked in cages in detention centres.

While toddlers languish in "tender age" care facilities, how will Congress handle the political chaos that is the Trump administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy?

That contentious Turnbull-Trump phone call came just eight days into the Trump presidency.

However, the transcript of the call revealed Turnbull had already discussed Australia's tough immigration policies with the President's son-in-law and key adviser Jared Kushner.

"We have, as you know, taken a very strong line on national security and border protection here and when I was speaking with Jared Kushner just the other day, and one of your immigration advisers in the White House, we reflected on how our policies have helped to inform your approach," Turnbull told the President.

"We are very much of the same mind."

Turnbull made the comment while attempting to persuade Trump to accept up to 1250 asylum-seekers prevented from entering Australia and housed on Manus Island and Nauru.

Trump and Turnbull. AP

It was a deal Turnbull struck when Barack Obama was president.

Trump reluctantly agreed to the deal.

The phone call transcript, leaked to the Washington Post, showed Trump liked Australia's tough approach to refugees.

"You are worse than I am," Trump told Turnbull.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and United States of America President Donald Trump shake hands in February. Alex Ellinghausen

In the weeks and months after that phone call the President rolled out strict, controversial immigration and border control policies.

Australia was referenced by the White House in public comments.

In August last year when Trump announced a major overhaul of America's immigration policy that would eliminate the green card lottery his key adviser on the issue, Stephen Miller, took centre stage at a fiery White House press briefing.

People taken into custody related to cases of illegal entry into the United States, sit in one of the cages at a facility in McAllen, Texas. AP

"We are establishing a new entry system that's points based," Miller told reporters.

"Australia has a points based system.

"Canada has a points based system and what will the system look at?

"It will look at, does the applicant speak English?

Asylum seekers in Nauru Angela Wylie

"Can they support themselves and their families financially?

"Do they have a skill that will add to the US economy?

"Are they being paid a high wage?"

In the January 28, 2017 phone call the transcript shows Trump had concerns the refugees held on Manus Island and Nauru could become "the Boston bomber in five years".

"Why haven't you let them out?" Trump asked Turnbull.

"Why have you not let them into your society?"

Turnbull endeavoured to explain Australia's policy.

"It is not because they are bad people," the Prime Minister said.

"It is because in order to stop people smugglers, we had to deprive them of the product.

"So we said if you try to come to Australia by boat, even if we think you are the best person in the world, even if you are a Nobel Prize-winning genius, we will not let you in."

Trump was impressed.

"That is a good idea," the President told Turnbull.

"We should do that too."

AAP