President Donald Trump lauded the work of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), pledging Tuesday evening in West Virginia that the U.S. will not abandon ICE as Democrats want to do.

Trump said ICE and Border Patrol “are doing an unreal job.”

“We want border security. We want security in our country. We respect ICE,” Trump told the Salute to Service event crowd in White Sulphur Springs.

“These are tough people,” the President said of ICE law enforcement. He pointed to the vicious transnational criminal gang MS-13 and others who are illegally in the U.S. because of weak immigration laws.

“All of a sudden you see nests of MS-13,” said Trump. He then said that ICE is driving these dangerous gang members out, “It’s like you’re liberating towns. We send ICE in and for ICE it’s just another day.”

“These guys, they walk into those areas. they take them outta there so fast. They’re not afraid of anything,” said Trump.

The President likened their work rooting out these gang members to “Like in a war, you’re liberating a town or an area.”

“Sometimes they have to go in swinging,” Trump said of ICE. “They don’t mind. They’re tough.”

“Then I hear Democrats saying ‘we wanna abandon ICE,’” said Trump.

“We’re not abandoning ICE. And we’re not abandoning our law enforcement. Just the opposite,” Trump pledged.

Democrats and leftist activists have been calling for ICE to be abolished. Fear-inducing messages at weekend protests included urging to vote out Republicans and to abolish ICE.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana