Donald Trump has announced he will form a new agency to deal with immigrant crime and pledged to publish a regular list of all crimes committed by non-US citizens.

During a landmark speech to Congress markedly softer in tone than his inauguration address, in which he dialled back his trademark brash rhetoric, he revealed that he would set up a special taskforce for "immigrant crime".

The unit will come under the auspices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.

ICE is expected to publish a weekly list of all crimes committed by what it terms "aliens".

That does not seem to refer only to undocumented migrants – suggesting that anyone who has moved to the US could find their name on the public list.

Audible groans greeted the President's announcement, during a speech that was mostly met with applause from lawmakers.

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"I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American victims," he said in the speech.

"The office is called VOICE — Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests."

He went on to list a number of people who he claimed had been killed by immigrants that he would have banned from the country.

"Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them," he said.

He made the commitment during his first ever speech to Congress.

It is a realisation of a plan that has drawn sustained and strong criticism, signed into law by Mr Trump just days into his Presidency.

The controversial policy has already drawn comparisons with the "black crime" section on the Breitbart News, which published a list of offences committed by African-Americans.

That website was recently edited by Steve Bannon, who now serves as Donald Trump's closest advisor in the White House.