A picture of Ivanka Trump cuddling her son has sparked social media furore and been labelled "tone deaf" after being posted to her Twitter account soon after widespread reports of US immigration agents separating children from their parents.

Key points: More than 700 children have been taken from adults claiming to be their parents since October, US media reports

More than 700 children have been taken from adults claiming to be their parents since October, US media reports The US government has lost track of 1,500 children it placed in sponsors homes last year

The US government has lost track of 1,500 children it placed in sponsors homes last year In the past, people who had crossed the border unlawfully were deported without facing criminal charges

Ms Trump tweeted the picture on Sunday, local time — less than a month after her father's administration said it would step up efforts to tighten immigration enforcements, in part by separating children of illegal immigrants from parents facing prosecution.

Previously people caught crossing the border illegally were often deported without being criminally charged, but a "zero tolerance policy" announced in April means illegal entrants are to face prosecution in the criminal court.

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Immigration advocates have said that separation of children from parents has been happening for months.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in February to challenge the practice.

A New York Times report in April claimed more than 700 children had been taken from adults purporting to be their parents since October — including more than 100 younger than 4 years.

CNN previously reported the US government had lost track of almost 1,500 unaccompanied immigrant children it placed in sponsors' homes last year.

On Monday, a top US official denied the government was legally responsible for finding the nearly 1,500 children, according to CNN.

'This is so unbelievably tone deaf'

London School of Economics and Political Science fellow Brian Klaas slammed Ms Trump's tweet, saying she was supporting a "barbaric policy".

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Other responses had a different tone.

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US President Donald Trump implied the Democrats were behind the policy of removing children from their families.

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ABC/Reuters