Rep. Omar’s Statement on President Biden’s Death Penalty Clemency Decision

WASHINGTON–Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) issued the following statement on President Biden’s death penalty clemency decision.

“President Biden's decision to commute 37 federal death sentences represents one of the most significant mass commutations of death sentences in our nation's history and demonstrates progress toward ending the practice of capital punishment in our federal system.

“The death penalty disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly Black and Brown individuals, and is deeply flawed by issues like wrongful convictions, poor legal defense, and prosecutorial misconduct. It fuels a cycle of injustice and violence, reinforcing a system that fails to respect the value of human life.

“This moment would not be possible without the determination of families, advocates, and communities who have fought to make this moment possible. Their voices, often raised in the face of opposition, have been instrumental in bringing us to this point.

“I am deeply grateful to President Biden for taking this step and demonstrating leadership to build a more humane justice system. We must continue to work toward a criminal justice system focused on rehabilitation, not retribution. Today's action brings us closer to that goal, but our work is not finished until we completely end this practice on both the federal and state levels.”