United States President Donald Trump has seized on the New York City terrorist attack that left eight dead to call for tighter immigration measures, asking Congress to "immediately" end a visa program under which the Uzbek immigrant accused in the incident entered the country.

Key points: Donald Trump hits out at Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer over visa program

Donald Trump hits out at Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer over visa program Suspect Sayfullo Saipov is charged with providing materials to Islamic State

Suspect Sayfullo Saipov is charged with providing materials to Islamic State Mr Trump says he is considering sending Saipov to Guantanamo Bay

"The terrorist came into our country through what is called the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based," Mr Trump tweeted, referring to the Senate Democratic leader.

"We are fighting hard for merit based immigration, no more Democrat lottery systems. We must get MUCH tougher (and smarter)," he also tweeted.

Mr Trump said he had instructed Congress to "immediately" begin working to eliminate the "Diversity Visa Lottery Program", which applies to countries with low rates of immigration to the US.

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Senator Schumer hit back at Mr Trump's criticism, saying in a statement he had "always believed and continue to believe that immigration is good for America".

"[Mr Trump is] politicising and dividing America, which he always seems to do at times of national tragedy," he said.

Since taking office, Mr Trump has been pressing for a ban on travellers entering the US from some predominantly Muslim countries.

"I have just ordered Homeland Security to step up our already extreme vetting program. Being politically correct is fine, but not for this!" he also wrote on Twitter.

Sorry, this video has expired Video shows the moment the New York attack suspect is arrested. (Image: AP/Bebeto Matthews)

Trump to consider sending attacker to Gitmo

Investigators worked through the night to determine what led the ute driver to run down people on a riverfront bike path near the World Trade Centre, brandishing air guns and yelling "God is great" in Arabic as his deadly route of terror ended with a crash.

The driver was in a critical condition but was expected to survive after a police officer shot him in the abdomen.

Suspected attacker Sayfullo Saipov is an immigrant from Uzbekistan. ( AP: KMOV )

Police said they had interviewed Sayfullo Saipov, 29, and that he had followed online plans from Islamic State (IS) militants.

Saipov has since been charged with causing the death of eight people and providing material to a terrorist group.

Police said he appeared to have been planning the attack for weeks and that investigators recovered notes and knives at the scene.

"The gist of the note was that the Islamic State would endure forever," New York Deputy Police Commissioner John Miller said.

"He appears to have followed almost exactly the instructions that ISIS has put out on its social media channels to its followers."

Mr Trump said he would be open to transferring Saipov to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where other suspects including alleged September 11 plotters are held.

"Send him to Gitmo. I would certainly consider that," Mr Trump said.

"We also have to come up with punishment that's far quicker and far greater than the punishment these animals are getting right now."

Meanwhile, the FBI also announced investigators had sought and found a second Uzbek man — 32-year-old Mukhammadzoir Kadiro — for questioning in relation to yesterday's attack without elaborating further.

NYC Halloween parade proceeds despite attack

Despite the attack, thousands of costumed Halloween revellers turned out hours later for New York City's main Halloween parade, which went on as scheduled with a heightened police presence just a few blocks away.

A roughly three-kilometre stretch of highway in downtown Manhattan was shut down for the investigation.

Authorities also converged on a New Jersey apartment building and a van in a parking lot at a New Jersey hardware store.

Police and the FBI urged members of the public to give them any photos or video that could help.

Sorry, this video has expired Map shows where the Manhattan ute attack unfolded

Uzbekistan pledges full support to investigate attack

Six victims were pronounced dead at the scene and two more at a nearby hospital, Police Commissioner James O'Neill said.

Five of the dead were Argentinian tourists, visiting New York as part of a group of friends celebrating the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation, the Government there said.

One German and two Americans were also killed, authorities said, while nine people remained hospitalised in a serious or critical condition.

A US law enforcement official described the suspect as a US immigrant born in Uzbekistan, a landlocked, predominantly Muslim country in central Asia that was once part of the former Soviet Union.

Department of Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton said he entered the US legally under the diversity visa program in 2010.

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told Mr Trump his Government would do all it could to help investigate the "extremely brutal" attack.

Although authorities from the mayor's office to the US Department of Homeland Security all swiftly branded the attack an act of terrorism, Mr Cuomo stressed that the suspect was believed to have acted alone.

Asked whether the suspect had been known to authorities before the attack, Mr Cuomo said in a CNN interview, "it's too early to give you a definitive answer".

A woman is aided on a bike path in Lower Manhattan. ( Reuters: Brendan McDermid )

Reuters/AP