Biden pressed on child migration at first news conference

US President Joe Biden was pressed on how he would address the surge in migrants at the southern border at his first official press conference.

More than 17,000 children are being kept in government detention centres and  Biden was challenged on whether his policies could be contributing to the increase in child arrivals, reports the BBC.

The president defended his record and vowed to be transparent.

The hour-long event also covered subjects from guns to foreign policy.

He also doubled his administration's vaccine rollout goal, saying that he now aims to have 200 million jabs be given before his 100th day in office.

But questions about the situation at the US-Mexico border dominated the event.