Winston Peters said the reversal of the Trump Administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy of separating children from the families at the border should be welcomed, and called the separations "simply not a humanitarian approach".
The policy meant all illegal entries into the US would be referred for criminal prosecution, with the intent to deter unlawful crossings.
Almost 2,000 children were separated from their families over a six week period this year.
"Separating families at the southern border was concerning to many New Zealanders," Mr Peters said.
"New Zealand Cabinet Ministers and MPs were concerned as well," the Foreign Affairs and Acting PM said in a statement today.
He said the Government had "conveyed its concerns" to the US Embassy yesterday.
"It appears the US President has heeded the outcry on this matter by signing of new Executive Order which allows 'family unity'", Mr Peters said.
President Donald Trump said today he would sign the order that would end the separations and that it was "very important" to keep families together.
"The practice of separating children from their parents and detaining them was simply not a humanitarian approach and any reversal of that practice should be welcomed."
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