Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke on Jan. 19 praised former President Joe Biden for issuing a presidential pardon to Brooklyn resident and immigrant rights advocate Ravi Ragbir, calling it a "moral and just decision."
Ragbir, who immigrated to the United States from Trinidad in 1991, was convicted of a non-violent offense in 2001 and has since faced ongoing threats of deportation, according to a press release. Biden granted him and four others clemency on the Sunday before he left office.
Clarke, who has been a vocal supporter of Ragbir’s advocacy, said the pardon was long overdue.
According to the White House, Ragbir’s advocacy spans New York and New Jersey, where he has worked tirelessly to support immigrant communities. He previously served as the executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition, an interfaith network providing aid to immigrants.
Ragbir’s efforts have earned him several awards, including from the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island.
