JUST IN: Biden To Commute Sentences of 1,500, Pardon 39 In Historic Clemency Action

Michael Brochstein/Sipa via AP Images

President Joe Biden enacted the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history on Thursday, commuting the sentences of 1,500 individuals and granting 39 presidential pardons.

With only 40 days left in his term, Biden’s sweeping clemency announcement highlights his administration’s push for “equal justice” and “meaningful second chances” before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a White House statement, underscoring his belief in rehabilitation and opportunity.

The commutations primarily affect individuals released on home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many were convicted of non-violent crimes, such as drug offenses, and have demonstrated “successful rehabilitation.” Among those pardoned are a nurse who led disaster response efforts, a pilot assisting ailing church members, and an addiction counselor steering youth away from gang life.

The clemency dwarfs the single-day record previously set by former President Barack Obama, who issued 330 acts of clemency in 2017.

Biden’s actions, announced Thursday, also follow his controversial December pardon of his son Hunter Biden, who faced federal charges for gun possession and tax violations.