COVID-19 should not be a death sentence for millions of Americans who are currently incarcerated.
That’s why, yesterday, Elizabeth Warren and I sent a letter to the occupant of the White House calling on him to take immediate action to decarcerate our federal prisons in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Centers for Disease Control urges each of us to participate in social distancing, millions of incarcerated people are confined in overcrowded and unsanitary facilities. As public health officials have warned, the carceral system is a breeding ground for an infectious outbreak.
In the interest of public health and in recognition of the humanity of those behind the wall, Elizabeth and I are calling on this administration to prioritize decarceration of our federal prisons immediately.
Those behind the wall are people’s loved ones and family. Nearly 80 percent of women currently incarcerated are mothers, and nearly a quarter of all those behind the wall are over the age of 50 and have underlying health conditions.
Elizabeth and I are calling on Trump to:
- Maximize the use of his clemency power to commute the sentences of elderly individuals who do not pose a current and substantial safety risk.
- Maximize the use of his clemency power to commute the sentences of medically vulnerable individuals who do not pose a current and substantial safety risk.
- Establish streamlined procedures to release individuals who have not been convicted of any crimes and are awaiting trial in prison or jail, and commute the sentences of individuals who have one year or less remaining on their sentence, if these individuals do not pose a current and substantial safety risk.
People in jails and prisons cannot be overlooked during this crisis. The federal government has an opportunity to lead by example, and then urge state and local officials to also prioritize decarceration in order to save lives and protect our communities.
Thank you for taking action today,
Ayanna Pressley
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