Her reducing the sentences of 1,500 people and granting amnesty to 39 morewho were convicted of non-violent crimes, US President Joe Biden announced just weeks into the end of the Biden administration, marking the most “extensive” use of this presidential power.

White House officials consider this move as greater act of granting clemency and pardoning within one day in modern history. The president, who is under increasing pressure to grant more pardons before leaving office and who controversially pardoned his son Hunter earlier this month, also promised that additional actions would be announced in the coming weeks.

“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chancesBiden said. “As President, I have the great privilege of granting pardons and clemency to people who have shown remorse and repentance, restoring the opportunity for Americans to participate in everyday life and contribute to their communities, and to take steps to eliminate sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offences».

Almost 1,500 people whose long sentences are being commuted on Thursday were placed under house arrest during the Covid-19 pandemic and judged to have shown a clear commitment to rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities, sources said. The 39 people those who were pardoned were convicted of non-violent crimes and were deemed to have proven to have made a meaningful contribution to the country.

“They are people who have secured employment, advanced their education, served as caregivers for their children and family members, and truly integrated into their communityan administration official told CNN. “They include people who have faced incredible challenges in life and have truly shown resilience and sought to overcome those challenges».

Who were pardoned?

While CNN has not obtained a full list of the names of pardon recipients, sources provided several examples of people who were pardoned.

Among them: A decorated military veteran described as spending much of his time helping members of his community, including the sick and elderly, a nurse said to have helped during natural disasters and been at the forefront of vaccination efforts during the during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as an addiction counselor recognized for his dedication to mentoring young men of color.

Thursday’s announcement is expected to be widely celebrated by human rights activists, advocacy groups, Democratic lawmakers and the families of those who received the commutations and pardons.

As the president’s first term draws to a close, calls for Biden to more aggressively and broadly exercise his clemency authority before incoming President Donald Trump takes office have only grown louder, including by removing several dozen inmates on federal death row. (Biden has publicly opposed the death penalty.)

Biden has given to past thanks to military veterans where they had been convicted of homosexual sex – a former martial law crime – and also pardoned those convicted of possession of marijuana.

Thursday’s news comes after Biden decided to grant a full and unconditional pardon to his son Hunter after repeatedly insisting over several months that he would not. The move caused an uproar, among some of the president’s allies and fellow Democrats who questioned his decision to renege on his speech.

Joe Biden will grant clemency and clemency to other people as well

Anita Dunn, a former senior adviser to the president, said last week that the move struck her as “extremely bad timing.”

Biden’s pardon of his son, the administration official insisted, has not shaped his thinking about using his clemency power overall.

“The President has shown his views on clemency and pardons and how he can use that power to make our country fairer, to correct some of the past injustices that we’ve seen in the criminal justice system, and that’s how he’s going to continue the president to review the reports in the coming weeks,” they said.

With less than six weeks left in Biden’s term, the president is expected to offer further relief.

“I will take more steps in the coming weeksBiden said. “My government will continue to consider clemency applications to promote equal justice under the law, promote public safety, support rehabilitation and reintegration and provide meaningful second chances.”

The president is consulting with White House counsel Ed Siskel and lawyers in the attorney general’s office about a range of clemency options, the sources said. The White House counsel’s office was also in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General Thanks to the Department of Justice.