Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has refused to join other world leaders in criticising Donald Trump's harsh new immigration measures, saying he would not "run a commentary on the domestic policies of other countries".

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, however, has blasted Mr Trump's clampdown, saying the controversial crackdown was "appalling and ought to be ended as soon as possible".

Mr Turnbull, speaking a day after his first phone call with Mr Trump since the billionaire businessman was sworn in as US President, said that if the policies were found to harm the freedom of Australians to travel to the US, the Australian government would take it up with their American counterparts.

But in contrast to the leaders of Britain, Germany, France and Canada, Mr Turnbull declined to condemn or signal disagreement with the new US executive order, which imposes a range restrictions - some temporary and some indefinite - on refugee intakes and other immigration to the US. This includes a three-month ban on virtually all citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries entering the US.