California set to apologize for incarceration of Japanese Americans

Executive Order 9066 was signed into law on Feb. 19, 1942.

ASAM NEWS

A bill from California Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, (D-Torrance) would formally apologize for the state’s role in incarcerating 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, reports the Fresno Bee.

According to the Huff Post, the bill scheduled to be voted on February 20 is widely expected to be passed by the Assembly.

“The Assembly apologizes to all Americans of Japanese ancestry for its past actions in support of the unjust exclusion, removal, and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, and for its failure to support and defend the civil rights and civil liberties of Japanese Americans during this period,” the bill reads.

Muratsuchi says the bill is timely given Trump’s immigration policies.

“For many survivors of the Japanese American camps it strikes a deep chord. They see in many ways history repeating itself,” he said to the Fresno Bee.

The vote will come one day after the annual Day of Remembrance. The date of the vote is significant since on Feb. 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt justified the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII.

“Every February, the Japanese American community commemorates Executive Order 9066 as a reminder of the impact the incarceration experience has had on our families, our community, and our country,” the Japanese American Citizen’s League writes on its website. “It is an opportunity to educate others on the fragility of civil liberties in times of crisis, and the importance of remaining vigilant in protecting the rights and freedoms of all.”