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.

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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.

‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy Show all 8 1 /8 ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy Mishawaka, Indiana AP ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy Washington DC AFP/Getty Images ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy New York Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks in Tornillo, Texas alongside the many other US mayors who have called for detained immigrant children to be reunited with their families AP ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy Albuquerque Mayor Tim Kelle leaves a teddy bear as a gift for detained immigrant children in Tornillo, Texas AP ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti leave sandals as gifts for detained immigrant children in Tornillo, Texas AP ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy San Diego, California EPA ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy US embassy, Mexico City AFP/Getty Images ‘Families belong together’ protests over Trump immigration policy San Diego, California EPA

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.