President Joe Biden recently pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, which was followed by the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history. He commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who were on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as pardoned 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes. Biden has promised more steps in the coming weeks and is considering preemptive pardons for individuals who may be targeted by President-elect Donald Trump. While some criminal justice advocates are pleased with Biden’s actions, they are urging him to sign off on all of the 10,000 pending clemency petitions. There is also pressure on Biden to commute the sentences of 40 men on federal death row.
Biden has issued more sentence commutations than any of his predecessors at this point in their terms, but individual pardons have been slower. He has pardoned 65 people so far, leaving him behind George H.W. Bush who pardoned 74 people. Biden’s clemency moves involving commutations for individuals were related to the 2020 CARES Act, which allowed vulnerable inmates with nonviolent offenses to be placed on home confinement during the pandemic. Biden said the recipients deserving commuted sentences and pardons have successfully reintegrated into their communities and deserve a second chance.
There is also a push for Biden to end the federal death penalty, with demands to commute the sentences of all prisoners on death row. Some Democrats are also advocating for preemptive pardons for individuals Trump has threatened, although legal concerns exist around this action. Overall, Biden’s use of clemency has been both praised and scrutinized, with ongoing discussions around how he will continue to wield this presidential power in the weeks ahead.
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