In a letter to President Donald Trump (R) and his pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson, 28 Democratic lawmakers, along with independent Bernie Sanders (VT), are seeking the administration to pardon everyone in federal prison for non-violent cannabis crimes.
The letter notes that the administration’s decision to move cannabis from Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III “does not provide relief for anyone currently in federal prison from a marijuana conviction.” The letter notes that data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission estimates that there are about 3,000 people federally incarcerated for cannabis trafficking offenses, and another hundreds or thousands serving mandatory minimum sentences of five years or longer.
“Additionally, the arrest rate for African Americans for marijuana possession is 3.6- fold higher than for white people, despite similar usage rates. Too many people are serving way too long for marijuana-associated offenses. This means precious time away from loved ones and families separated for years, and in some cases even decades, due to our country’s antiquated laws around marijuana. However, thousands of people continue to be federally incarcerated for marijuana-related offenses, an activity that most states, in some form, have legalized.” — Letter to Trump and Johnson, 5/22/26
The letter also points out that freeing federal prisoners would help ease the overcrowding issue at the Bureau of Prisons.
“While it won’t solve the structural issues that have led us here, we believe that commuting the sentences of people with marijuana offenses would both address the overly harsh sentences while simultaneously allowing BOP to focus resources where they are needed most,” the letter states.
The letter was led by Reps. Steve Cohen (TN) and Steven Horsford (NV), and Sen. Cory Booker (NJ). The letter was also signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (MA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Ron Wyden (OR), and Ed Markey (MA), and Representatives Hank Johnson (GA), Troy Carter (LA), Shri Thanedar (MI), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Jonathan Jackson (IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Jared Huffman (CA), Valerie Foushee (NC), Frederica Wilson (FL), Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (IL), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Dan Goldman (NY), Dwight Evans (PA), Alexandria Ocassio-Cortez (NY), Dina Titus (NV), Ilhan Omar (MN), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Nikema Williams (GA), Summer Lee (PA), Chris Deluzio (PA), and Val Hoyle (OR).
