Biden grants clemency to nearly 1,500 people in historic single-day action

US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that he is commuting the sentences of 1,500 individuals and pardoning 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes, exercising his presidential clemency power in a significant move just weeks before the end of his administration.

White House officials are billing Thursday’s move as the biggest single-day act of clemency in modern history. The president, who has come under growing pressure to grant more clemencies before he leaves office, also promised that additional action will be announced in the weeks to come.

“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a statement, News.Az reports, citing CNN.

“As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses,” the president stated.

The nearly 1,500 individuals whose long sentences are being commuted Thursday were placed on home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic, and were deemed to have demonstrated a clear commitment to rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities, sources said. The 39 people being pardoned were convicted of non-violent crimes, and considered to have demonstrated records of meaningfully giving back to the country.

News.Az