U.S. President Joe Biden has granted mercy to thousands of individuals, issuing 39 presidential pardons for non-violent offenses and reducing the sentences of nearly 1,500 others. The White House described it as the most acts of presidential mercy issued in a single day, although it did not disclose the names of those involved.
The U.S. Constitution grants presidents the authority to issue pardons and sentence reduction for federal crimes, with the exception of impeachment cases. Announcing the decision, Biden stated that those pardoned had “shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer.” Their offenses included non-violent crimes, primarily drug-related.
Additionally, Biden reduced the sentences of hundreds of individuals placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. He argued that many of these sentences were excessively long under outdated laws.
“They have shown that they deserve a second chance,” Biden said.
The White House highlighted the recipients’ contributions to society, including a decorated military veteran and pilot who supported fellow church members, a nurse who assisted with the COVID vaccine rollout, and an addiction counselor. Biden promised further mercy actions in the coming weeks.
This wave of mercy follows Biden’s earlier record of granting fewer pardons than most modern presidents. However, he has previously issued categorical pardons. In October 2022, he pardoned individuals convicted of simple marijuana possession and later expanded the mercy to include other marijuana-related offenses. He also pardoned military personnel and veterans convicted of offenses based on their sexual orientation.
Earlier this month, Biden faced controversy for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted in two criminal cases. Critics labeled the move as politically motivated, especially after Biden had previously ruled out issuing mercy for his son.
“The cases against Hunter were politically motivated,” Biden claimed, defending his decision.
Biden’s pardon of his son follows a trend of U.S. presidents granting mercy to those close to them. His predecessor, Donald Trump, granted 237 acts of mercy during his term, including 143 pardons and 94 sentence reductions, many issued in a final flurry before leaving office.
