How popular is the 'Abolish ICE' movement? A new poll has the surprising answer

A new poll revealed how little support the "Abolish ICE" movement has, even among Democrats, despite the mainstream media attention that the advocates have received.

Here's what the poll says

The poll from the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that even among Democrats only 25 percent support the policy to abolish the department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The "Abolish ICE" movement gathered steam after the media focused on the families affected by the "no tolerance" policy the Trump administration enforced on immigration law. This led to family separations of some immigrants petitioning for amnesty, and also of illegal immigrants.

Among the policy's most prominent supporters are the left-wing upstart Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and possible presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

"ICE is operating exactly as designed when it rips screaming children from parents," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "That’s exactly why we must abolish it."

"We MUST have the moral and political courage to #abolishICE," she added.

Despite the lack of support for abolishing ICE, a majority of self-described Democrats have an unfavorable view of the agency (57 percent). Among those who describe themselves as liberal, ICE is even less popular, with nearly three fourths reporting an unfavorable view.

A Rasmussen poll from July showed that only 25 percent of Americans supported abolishing ICE - 55 percent said they opposed the proposed policy.

“This should cost them heavily"

President Donald Trump has taken up the defense of ICE as part of his political platform. In various speeches and on social media he has decried the vilification of an office he sees as essential to the defense of the nation.

"The Democrats have a death wish, in more ways than one," he tweeted in July, "they actually want to abolish ICE."

"This should cost them heavily in the Midterms," he added.