On Thursday, outgoing President Joe Biden announced he had commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals and granted pardons to 39 others, marking what the White House described as the largest single-day clemency action in U.S. history.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a statement. “As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation.”
As their terms near an end, presidents often issue a series of clemency acts, which apply only to federal crimes.
According to the White House, the nearly 1,500 individuals whose sentences were commuted—“the most ever in a single day”—had been serving their sentences at home for at least a year.
“These commutation recipients, placed on home confinement during the COVID pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown they deserve a second chance,” Biden stated.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which had called on Biden to take such action, praised the decision.
“We are thrilled that President Biden has allowed people to remain with their families and communities, where they belong,” said Cynthia W. Roseberry, director of policy and government affairs at the ACLU’s Justice Division.
This large-scale clemency announcement came just over a week after the president pardoned his son Hunter Biden, which had sparked controversy. Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to tax evasion in September and was facing up to 17 years in prison. He had also been convicted of federal gun charges, carrying a potential 25-year sentence.
The decision to pardon Hunter followed a familiar pattern seen in previous administrations, where outgoing presidents often offer pardons to family members or close associates. For example, President Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger on his last day in office, while President Donald Trump pardoned his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner.
The White House highlighted some notable figures among those receiving clemency, including a decorated military veteran and pilot, a nurse who has led emergency response efforts for natural disasters, and an addiction counselor who volunteers his time.
“These actions continue the President’s commitment to criminal justice reform, helping to reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals into society,” the White House stated.
Biden has now issued more sentence commutations during his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms.
