Read this excerpt from Ruth Wasem's response to the government establishing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants:

The commitment to the rule of law is perhaps the most important American ideal. A law justly formulated by Congress applies to each and every person. But if the government

creates a pathway to citizenship, it would violate this principle by granting amnesty to millions of people who willfully ignored the law.

Using context clues, what is the meaning of the word amnesty?

penalty

pardon

punishment

parole