Artist JR has erected a huge billboard-style image of a child peering over the border fence dividing the US and Mexico, in response to American president Donald Trump's proposed repeal of the DACA programme that protects children of undocumented immigrants.

The installation was built after Trump announced plans to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative last Tuesday. The programme was enacted under the Obama administration in 2012, and aims to protect young people brought into the country illegally from deportation.

Around 800,000 youths, known as Dreamers, have applied to join the initiative so far – mostly from Latin America and Asia. Trump has urged Congress to find a replacement for the scheme before it is phased out in six month's time.

French photographer and artist JR responded to the action with a temporary work, located close to the town of Tecate, towards the western end of the US-Mexico border. It shows a blown-up black and white photograph of a small child, who is posed as if peeping over the fence from the Mexican side.

"Meet Kikito, he turned 1 year old last April," said the artist, in a caption of an Instagram image of the artwork. "The piece is visible close to the Tecate border for a month."

Intended to be viewed from the US side, the image is mounted on boards held up by scaffolding. JR also posted a video of the real Kikito visiting the installation, as well as a series of photos he was sent showing people posing at the site.

The US-Mexico border has been making headlines ever since Trump announced plans to reinforce it during his election campaign.

While the president continues in search of a design for the barrier, artists and designers have responded in a variety of ways. Satirical proposals so far range from a giant dining table to a flat-pack IKEA wall.