US Overturns Trump Decision: No Reincarceration of 'Home Quarantine' Prisoners Even After COVID-19 Ends

Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General
[Photo by AP News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] The Joe Biden administration has overturned the decision made by the Donald Trump administration to re-incarcerate thousands of prisoners currently under home quarantine following the end of the COVID-19 crisis.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 21st (local time) that it will not re-incarcerate prisoners who were temporarily released from prisons last year and are currently under home quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Previously, in March 2020, as COVID-19 rapidly spread, the Department of Justice released about 35,000 prisoners and placed them under home quarantine to prevent mass outbreaks among inmates. Most of these prisoners were confirmed to have either completed their sentences or had less than one year remaining. Approximately 8,000 are currently serving their sentences at home.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, "(The prisoners under quarantine) have made progress in rehabilitation and have complied with home quarantine conditions," adding, "We will exercise our authority to ensure that people who should be given the opportunity to return to society are not unnecessarily re-incarcerated."

The Department of Justice plans to establish specific criteria regarding home quarantine once the COVID-19 emergency is officially declared over.

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