President Joe Biden announced the largest single-day act of clemency by a U.S. president, commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals and pardoning 39 others convicted of nonviolent offenses.

The measure, announced on Thursday, comes two weeks after after Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden.

"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," Biden said in a statement.

Most of those granted commutations were people incarcerated when the COVID-19 pandemic began and were moved to home confinement as prisons became hotspots for the virus. Since then, their advocates and family members expressed concern that these individuals might be forced back into jails after some GOP lawmakers pushed for legislation to mandate their return to prison.

Cannabis Prisoners?

Among the pardons are people convicted of nonviolent crimes, including possession of small amounts of marijuana. Biden has taken steps in the past to pardon federal cannabis prisoners convicted for possession or use.

“We are heartened to see the President using his clemency power more robustly, and are eager to see more action before he leaves office," Sarah Gersten, executive director of the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) said in a statement. "It’s clear from the White House’s statement that the administration sees nonviolent drug offenders, and particularly those impacted by unjust cannabis offenses, as a critical category of clemency recipients deserving relief.”

The announcement comes amid increasing pressure for Biden to use his clemency powers more broadly, including commuting death sentences and addressing long-standing disparities in drug-related convictions. According to the LPP, an estimated 3,000 people are still serving time in federal prisons for cannabis offenses and up to 40,000 in local and state facilities.

Pardons Are Popular

A YouGov poll released in August showed Biden’s cannabis pardons were one of the most popular policies of his entire administration. 

Biden also said on Thursday he would take more steps in the weeks ahead. "My administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions to advance equal justice under the law, promote public safety, support rehabilitation and reentry, and provide meaningful second chances."

The New York Times, citing people familiar with the discussion, reported that debate among the Biden team is underway about whether the president should issue blanket pardons for those who are apparently on President-elect Donald Trump's growing perceived enemies list in order to protect them from threats of retribution.

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