Biden Grants Record 2,500 Clemencies for Nonviolent Drug Offenses Before Leaving Office

The outgoing U.S. president aims to address sentencing disparities and correct what he calls 'historical injustices' in his final days in office.

President Joe Biden has commuted or pardoned the sentences of nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, marking the largest single-day clemency action in U.S. history.
Biden cited the need to address disproportionately long sentences handed down under outdated laws as the primary reason for his decision.
This move builds on previous clemency actions, including the reduction of sentences for 1,500 individuals last month and the commutation of 37 federal death sentences to life imprisonment.
The White House has not yet released the names of those granted clemency, but Biden signaled the possibility of additional actions before his term ends on Monday.
Biden's decision contrasts sharply with the stance of incoming President Donald Trump, who has expressed support for expanding the use of the death penalty.