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U.S. NEWS Thursday 27 June 2024
Biden pardons potentially thousands of ex-service members

convicted under now-repealed gay sex ban

By ZEKE MILLER on the front lines of freedom,
AP White House Correspon- risking their lives to defend
dent our country, only to be met
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- with injustice at home.”
dent Joe Biden pardoned Senate Majority Leader Chuck
potentially thousands of Schumer. D-N.Y., said in a
former U.S. service mem- statement that the actions
bers convicted of violating were a step in the “march
a now-repealed military ban towards greater equality”
on consensual gay sex, saying and “correct a historic wrong
Wednesday that he is “right- for LGBTQ+ Americans who
ing an historic wrong” to clear served bravely in our armed
the way for them to regain forces to keep our country
lost benefits. safe.”
Biden’s action grants a par- Administration officials de-
don to service members clined to say why Biden
who were convicted under did not act on the pardons
the Uniform Code of Military sooner. This is the third cat-
Justice’s former Article 125, egorial pardon by Biden
which criminalized sodomy. using his clemency powers
The law, which has been on to cover a broad group of
the books since 1951, was re- people convicted of par-
written in 2013 to prohibit only ticular crimes after moves
forcible acts. President Joe Biden speaks in the East Room at the White House in Washington, June 4, 2024. in 2022 and 2023 to pardon
Those covered by the pardon Associated Press those convicted federally for
will be able to apply to receive possessing marijuana.q
proof that their conviction has our service members includ- is set to hold a high-profile the miliary to approve the The White House estimates
been erased, petition to have ing our brave LGBTQI+ service fundraiser with LGBTQ donors pardons quickly. that several thousand service
their discharges from the mili- members: to properly prepare in New York on Friday. Biden Biden’s proclamation is “a members will be covered —
tary upgraded and move to and equip them when they is trying to rally support within significant move in recogniz- the majority convicted be-
recover lost pay and benefits. are sent into harm’s way, and the Democratic-leaning com- ing and righting the wrongs fore the military instituted the
“Today, I am righting an to care for them and their munity ahead of the presi- inflicted upon LGBTQ+ service “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy
historic wrong by using my families when they return dential election. members who faced discrimi- in 1993 that eased the way for
clemency authority to pardon home. Today we are mak- Modern Military, the nation’s nation and unjust convictions LGBTQ troops to serve if they
many former service members ing progress in that pursuit.” largest organization of LGBTQ+ under policies such as “Don’t didn’t disclose their sexual
who were convicted simply The president’s use of his par- service members and their Ask, Don’t Tell,” the organiza- orientation. That policy was
for being themselves,” Biden don powers is occurring during families, said the decision was tion said in a statement after repealed in 2011, when Con-
said in a statement. “We have Pride Month and his action “historic step towards justice the pardon announcement. gress allowed for their open
a sacred obligation to all of comes just days before he and equality,” and called on “These brave individuals stood service in the military.q

Border arrests fall more than 40% after Biden’s halt to asylum

processing, Homeland Security says

By ELLIOT SPAGAT and RE- security by painting a pic- ultimately provide them a more since then. der of the U.S. The numbers
BECCA SANTANA ture of the border as out of pathway to citizenship. The monthly data releas- reached a record high last
Associated Press control and migrants as a The figures announced es are a closely watched December before falling
TUCSON, Arizona (AP) — Ar- threat to the nation’s secu- Wednesday by the Depart- metric of border security roughly in half in January
rests for illegal border cross- rity and economy. ment of Homeland Security and how many people are and staying in that range
ings have dropped more Biden has both sought to show that the Border Pa- coming to the southern bor- throughout the spring.q
than 40% during the three crack down on new arriv- trol’s average daily arrests
weeks that asylum process- als at the border and to of- over a seven-day period
ing has been suspended, fer new immigration path- have fallen below 2,400,
the Homeland Security De- ways. down more than 40% from
partment said Wednesday. The restrictions he an- before Biden’s proclama-
The announcement comes nounced at the beginning tion took effect June 5.
just one day before Presi- of June cut off asylum ac- That’s still above the 1,500
dent Joe Biden is set to cess when arrivals at the mark needed to resume
debate former President border reached a certain asylum processing, but
and presumptive Republi- number, infuriating immi- Homeland Security says it
can presidential nominee gration advocates who marks the lowest number
Donald Trump in what is ex- say the policy differs little since Jan. 17, 2021, just be-
pected to be a crucial mo- from what Trump attempt- fore Biden took office.0
ment in the election cam- ed. Then a few weeks later Last week, Customs and
paign. Biden announced a new Border Protection said in its
Biden is considered espe- program aimed at un- monthly release of statistics
cially vulnerable with voters documented spouses of that border arrests had fall- Border patrol agent Pete Bidegain looks from a hilltop on the
when it comes to immigra- American citizens who had en 25% since Biden’s order U.S. side of the US-Mexico border in Nogales, Ariz. on Tuesday,
tion. Trump has hammered been in the country for a took effect, indicating they June 25, 2024. Associated Press
him repeatedly on border decade or more that could have decreased much