President Biden announced on Thursday he was granting 39 pardons to people with non-violent criminal convictions and commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500, the largest single-day act of clemency in modern presidential history, according to the White House.
“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, 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.”
