Donald Trump says Democrats want to see 'all police' abolished in early morning Twitter rant

President claims ICE is doing 'fantastic job' of removing 'worst criminal elements' from US

Donald Trump has falsely claimed Democrats want to see "all police" abolished.

In an early morning Twitter rant defending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the US president insisted the agency was doing a "fantastic job" of removing "the worst criminal elements" from the country.

ICE has been under fire in recent months over its aggressive targeting of undocumented migrants and its separating of families crossing into America at the border with Mexico.

"The Democrats are making a strong push to abolish ICE, one of the smartest, toughest and most spirited law enforcement groups of men and women that I have ever seen," Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

"I have watched ICE liberate towns from the grasp of MS-13 & clean out the toughest of situations. They are great!

"To the great and brave men and women of ICE, do not worry or lose your spirit. You are doing a fantastic job of keeping us safe by eradicating the worst criminal elements. So brave! The radical left Dems want you out. Next it will be all police. Zero chance, It will never happen!"

Despite Mr Trump's claims, only a handful of Democrats have voiced support for shutting down the immigration agency, an idea which has gained increasingly mainstream support in recent days.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old activist who is running for election promising to push for the abolishment of ICE, scored a stunning primary win over her Democratic opponent Joe Crowley in New York earlier this week.

On Thursday, senator Kirsten Gillibrand echoed Ms Ocasio-Cortez in calling to get rid of the agency, "start over, reimagine it and build something that actually works".

Similar sentiments have also been expressed by New York's Democrat mayor Bill de Blasio and House Democrat Mark Pocan.

But it is not only politicians calling for a revamp; on Friday 19 senior investigators at ICE called for the law enforcement agency to be disbanded.

In a letter to Kirstjen Nielsen, homeland security secretary, the agents express concern that Mr Trump’s crackdown on undocumented migrants has made it harder for them to investigate national security issues.

ICE is responsible for both national security investigations and the deportation of illegal immigrants.