Bernie Sanders alongside Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren were seen as strong contenders when they announced their intentions to run for the highest office in the US in 2019 and Bernie led early party delegation voting lists in January.

Mr Sanders, 78, told his campaign staff about his decision on a conference call on Wednesday .

He said “We have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become and have taken this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice and environmental justice,” Mr Sanders told supporters in a live stream. Our movement has won the ideological struggle.”

Bernie Sanders’ freewheeling proposal would also “ban the prosecution of children under the age of 18 in adult courts” for all offenses, apparently including even rape and murder, and would prohibit youth from ever facing prison time for misdemeanors.

The plan additionally would look to cut reduce total “incarcerated population in half” by getting rid of what Sanders’ campaign called “excessive sentencing.”

The unprecedented crime reform initiative comes as ICE officers and workers are also facing a rapidly escalating series of death threats, including protesters menacing their children and shots being fired at their offices several times in the past month, amid a rising tide of anti-ICE rhetoric from the left fueled by congressional Democrats, media voices and presidential hopefuls.

Earlier this month, Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro drew bipartisan condemnation for posting the names of several individuals and businesses who donated to President Trump’s campaign, including individuals who also had donated to Castro. The episode underscored fears that federal registries can be abused for intimidation purposes.