Senator Hirono Statement Marking 80th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement in observance of tomorrow’s 80th anniversary of President Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which led to the internment of Japanese Americans:
“Long-standing racism and xenophobia led to one of the worst decisions made by a President of this country 80 years ago. Due to unsubstantiated fear of Japanese Americans in 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 which led to the unjust and unconstitutional internment of Japanese in the U.S. This horrific treatment of Japanese people, simply because of their ancestry, is a stain on our country’s history.
“Although we have come a long way since 1942, the last two years have shown us that we still have a long way to go when it comes to treating everyone in this country with dignity and respect. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, we again saw the detrimental consequences of unfounded fear and misinformation as discrimination and racism incited a disturbing rise in violence and hate crimes against Asians in communities across the country.
“In honor of the sacrifices made by those who survived such horrendous treatment, it is our responsibility to ensure that history does not repeat itself. We must do everything in our power to prevent the mistreatment of not just AAPI communities, but also all marginalized groups.”
Executive Order (EO) 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. It authorized the forced relocation and exclusion internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, without trial, due process, or any allegation of wrong doing. In addition to losing their property and assets – which were sold, confiscated, or destroyed – incarcerated individuals and families were housed in isolated, dilapidated conditions. EO 9066 was not formally terminated until February 1976 and had lasting consequences for Japanese Americans for decades to come.
There are three notable legal cases that arose from the implementation of EO 9066 – Yasui v. United States (1943); Hirabayashi v. United States (1943); and Korematsu v. United States (1944). Yasui and Hirabayashi attempted to challenge the constitutionality of enforcing curfews against U.S. citizens and minority groups at the time. Both cases ended in convictions, which were later overturned in the 1980s. However, the Supreme Court’s decision in Korematsu resulted in a shameful precedent, which has been repudiated and recognized as a horrible mistake.
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