US President Joe Biden will pardon about 1,500 people, softening the sentence. Amnesty will also be granted to 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes. CNN reports.
According to the media outlet, this means a wide-ranging exercise of presidential pardon power just weeks before the end of the Biden administration's term.
"They are people who have gotten jobs, advanced their education levels, taken care of their children and family members, and really integrated into the life of their communities," an administration spokesperson told CNN, adding: "Among them are people who have faced incredible hardships in life and are now really striving to overcome those hardships."
