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The Importance of Remembrance

by Rev. Kosho Finch at the Memorial Day Service at the Japanese American Cemetery

Like many of you, we have family members who served this country’s military. 

Maybe we served ourselves.

Many of us know someone who lost their lives in service. 

And it is that sacrifice that we memorialize, that we remember, today.

We don’t talk enough about why we remember. And perhaps, why it is that remembrance is under siege. 

The war today is one on Diversity. Everywhere it is under attack, and the victims include our memories. Somewhere, someone is deciding that our memories aren’t worth remembering. Or that our memories are inconvenient. 

This year we have seen the removal of websites honoring the 442nd Regimental Combat Team from Pentagon websites. 

Japanese American soldiers who volunteered to serve their country, being removed from history. Soldiers willing to put their bodies in the way of harm, even when their bodies, their families’ bodies, marked them as less than full citizens in the country they fought for. As we all know they fought with distinction, with honor, and in the case of the 442nd, became the most decorated unit in WWII military history. 

Histories and pages honoring the 100th Battalion, removed. Erased. 

Histories of other groups are also erased, removed, hidden… faces, lives, sacrifice, and service, that someone determined was inconvenient. 

My Grandfather served in WWII, in a segregated unit of course. There is no mention of his army unit’s valor fighting in Guadalcanal. But mention of segregated ranks…also being erased.

But we know the strength of this service. For my family it meant a type of humanizing of the other. Soldiers serving with one another, relying on one another for their lives lead this country to realize that by working together and relying on one another we are stronger. 

Divided we fall, right? 

We must remember.

We must remember that war is the most senseless act of human activity. 

We must remember so that we don’t repeat it.

We must remember, because without such memories, we will be doomed to repeat the mistakes, and again dehumanize a group, to justify some agenda, some fear, some push to divide. 

But it is easy to forget. Forgetting is common. Forgetting is easy. It doesn’t take work to forget. 

Once the erasure starts, once the memory and history are uprooted, we must work even harder to replant the legacies. 

Spiritual practice takes… PRACTICE. That is what makes it a challenge.

Remembrance is a practice. There are far more of us NOT here today, than HERE. 

Far more Americans observe this day with sales and rejoicing that they aren’t at work. 

But, remembering takes WORK, and remembering honors LIFE.

War involves killing. Each death is an erasure. From a Buddhist perspective, each act of killing plants a seed, that perpetuates more killing. That seed is planted in the most powerful of tools humans have, their minds.

Similarly, erasure, is a kind of killing. 

A killing of the memory of sacrifice. 

A killing of the honor of service.

A killing of the injustice’s minority soldier endured.

A killing of the realization this country had that those which it did not fully value, served, sacrificed, and honored this country with their valor.

When we kill that memory, when open space for more killing, more brutality, more dehumanization. 

Remembrance is the practice to help us avoid killing. 

From our Buddhist perspective, killing, plants a seed. 

Understood through the lens of karma: cause and effect; that idea that actions have an effect; the act of killing wants a retribution. Killing leads to more killing. To stop killing, we must remember that original seed.

The battlefield isn’t where the war starts.

The war starts when someone’s humanity is erased. 

The war starts when someone picks up the message that one person or group’s life, is more important than another. 

The war starts when one group’s story is elevated over others.

The mind is like a garden. All its tools of imagination, language, and creativity, are fertile ground for growing whatever we plant, tend, and nurture. 

If we plant the seeds of hate, distrust, and division, we will harvest the fruit of the willingness to see the other as less than human; an “other” who we can point to, blame, push away, treat unjustly, imprison, deport, or kill.

Erasing memory takes away our greatest strength, the combination of our differenced. Diversity of thought, ideas, backgrounds, language, customs, experience, that’s what creates strength.

So we have another tool: Remembrance.

We come together to remember. 

To reaffirm our memories, and help others remember…

To share our experience, our stories, our family legacies, so that the hardships of the past are not forgotten. 

By not forgetting we equip one another, and our nation, with a powerful tool for defense.

By not forgetting we do more than honor the memory of those who gave their lives. We honor the value of human life by working to avoid taking life.

We avoid forgetting that our neighbors are our neighbors, not some “other” to be rounded up. 

We avoid the errors of the past of doubting the loyalty of certain citizens.

We avoid the pitfall of thinking only certain groups contributed to building this country. 

We avoid the fiction that only certain people built this nation. 

We remember the pain, hardship, and crimes that we’ve experienced in the past, so that we don’t repeat those. So, our family, friends, neighbors, nation, don’t have to experience that war inside ourselves again. 

Erasing, deleting, and hiding history doesn’t diminish the truth.

But it does help people to forget. Forgetting assists someone’s agenda.

Forgetting never helps.

So join me in resisting the trap of forgetting: today, and every day, by remembering.

By holding the memory of those who sacrificed in your heart, so that we never have to ask young people to give their lives in services of anyone’s agenda of erasure and dehumanization.

By lifting our voices, our minds, and ourselves to the task of remembrance for the sake of this nation, the world, and all life. Thank you.

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Alien Enemies Act Challenged in Court

JACL is proud to stand with 63 other Asian American organizations in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to combat President Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. It is now more important than ever that we share the harms and injustices that were committed against the Japanese American community under the Alien Enemies Act. 

We are thankful to our friends at the Asian Law Caucus, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC), and Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality for their partnership in filing this brief. 

“When the Executive asserts extraordinary powers, courts must act as a check on this authority; otherwise, terrible wrongs inevitably result. The instant case, and other similar habeas petitions challenging the use of the Alien Enemies Act (“AEA” or the “Act”) offer an opportunity for the Court to fulfill its role and duty as a co-equal branch in our constitutional democracy, andto ensure that we remain “a government of laws, and not of men.”

“Our fates as Japanese Americans are one and the same as those of Venezuelan Americans, and by sharing our stories, however painful, we send an enduring message of solidarity and commitment to justice that cannot be weakened by presidential fiat,” said David Inoue, executive director of the Japanese American Citizens League. “For nearly 40 years after the war, Japanese Americans lived under the pretense that our mass incarceration was necessary for national security. We cannot allow similarly false invocations of national security to once again strip an entire community of their right to due process.

“We know what happens when fear, racial prejudice, and failed leadership override the Constitution—my own father was incarcerated without due process under the Alien Enemies Act. Today, we see history repeating itself, with immigrants once again being targeted and deported based on manufactured fear. We must speak out, because we were once the targets—and we know how long justice can take.” Larry Oda, national president of JACL

We are once again thankful to all of the organizations for signing on in support of our community’s history and ensuring nothing like the WWII incarceration ever happens again. You can find the full press release from our partners at Asian Law Caucus HERE. You can also find the full amicus brief with the full list of signatories HERE

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As we prepare to take this fight to the U.S. Supreme Court — we need support now more than ever. These legal efforts are urgent and unbudgeted. Donations dedicated to the new Alien Enemies Act Fund will directly support legal challenges, repeal efforts, education, advocacy, and costs to defend against retaliatory actions. You can learn more and donate to the AEA Fund HERE.

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The Japanese American Citizens League is a national organization whose ongoing mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote cultural, educational, and social values and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.

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The 2025 Japanese Community Graduation Banquet

By Heidi Kimiko Tolentino

This year was the 78th annual Japanese American Community Graduation Banquet.  The banquet was unique in that it was held at a new location and had an immense number of graduates.  The event was held at the Riverside Golf and Country Club and 36 graduates were honored.  The event was Emceed by Todd Yuzuriha, a dedicated member of the Japanese American community.  Todd was part of the 1978 Japanese American Community Banquet, is an All-American trumpet player who is part of the Minidoka Swing Band and works tirelessly volunteering in the Japanese American community.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commander Ron Iwasaki and the words before and after the meal were given by Reverend Kosho Finch of Henjyogi Buddhist Temple.  The Consul General of Japan, Ken Todoriki, spoke to the graduates and encouraged them to stay connected to their community and their roots in Japan.  He offered the graduates and their families congratulations and noted that he was proud to be in attendance as this is his first assignment in the US.

This year’s keynote speaker was Ms. Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong, the Executive Director of Japanese American Museum of Oregon (JAMO).  Ms. Wakatsuki-Chong has an impressive resume that encompasses everything from working for the Idaho State Historical Society to working in the White House’s Office of the Chief of Staff.  In 2021, she received the Esto Perpetua Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Idaho State Historical Society for her work in preservation of Japanese American Incarceration history in Idaho.  

Ms. Wakatsuki-Chong focused her speech on words of wisdom for the graduating class of 2025.  As a first-generation college student, she found that it was important to find the people who would help and support her during her long journey.  Her father encouraged her to spread her wings and leave the nest, but she knew she needed a community to support her.  Wakatsuki-Chong worked three jobs at the beginning of her college career to fund her education.  Her college advisor worked with her to find scholarships and she was fueled by his assistance.  She encouraged the graduates to find the people who are going to be your cheerleaders and help you each step of the way.  She continued by explaining that they need to listen and be willing to open their eyes and ears to what they can learn from others.  They also need to be brave and stand up for what they believe in and not be shy about advocating for themselves.  She finished her motivational speech by telling them, “Get to know who you are and live without regret, but within reason.”  Ms. Wakatsuki-Chong was an inspiration not only to the students, but to the whole community as they learned what she overcame to become an influential member of our community who works to make sure that Japanese American history will never be forgotten.

After Ms. Wakatsuki-Chong’s speech, the scholarship recipients were announced.  

Mrs. Mark Sumida Awards The Mrs. Mark Sumida Awards are presented in memory of Alice Sumida.  Alice Sumida was a long-time supporter of the Japanese American community and a generous donor to the graduation banquet.  Alice Sumida passed away in August of 2018 at the age of 104.  Mrs. Sumida wanted to award students in the community so that they would know their community was proud of them.  This year, the awards were presented by Mr. Rich Iwasaki.  This year’s recipients were Mason Birney of Tigard High School, Mona Brines of David Douglass High School, Kenshiro Duff of Grant High School, Issai Honda of Hudson’s Bay High School, Alexander Jimenez of Benson High School, Kiyoshi Kiyokawa of Sam Barlow High School, Masahiro Nakano of Westview High School, Ichiro Tanada of Central Catholic High School, Thelonius VanDam of Corbett High School, Lili Baechel of Grant High School, Aki Chambers of Lakeridge High School, Kelan Egusa of Grant High School, Sayuri Hara of Grant High School, Kai Maeda of Grant High School, Isaac Matsushima of David Douglas High School, Keiden Meyer of Grant High School, Dylan Nakaji of Grant High School, Issai Ono of Grant High School, Trillium Ono of Grant High School, Takumi Schmidt of Grant High School and Joshua Strege of Grant High School.  Congratulations to all of these recipients!

Japanese Ancestral Society (JAS) Scholarships The Japanese Ancestral Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the Nikkei community and promoting education and fellowship among the members of the community.  JAS awards three scholarships: Hide Naito, Mary K. Naito and Sam Naito Scholarships.  These were presented by Mr. Rich Iwasaki.

Hide Naito Scholarship Hide Naito was a Portland entrepreneur who started his first of several businesses in 1921 which diversified during his lifetime into retail operations, importing and real-estate development.  The Hide Naito Donors are Sam and Marsha Naito.  The winner of this year’s Hide Naito Scholarship was Selina Uehara of Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering.  Selina conducted research on pancreatic cancer alongside professional researchers, finished 1st in State for Future Health Professionals in EMT and Pharmacy Science Skills and competed for the Portland Ice Skating Club.  Selina will be attending the University of Minnesota.

Mary K. Naito Scholarship Mary K. Naito was a homemaker, community volunteer, businesswoman and high school Valedictorian.  A former Poston internee and UC Berkeley student, Mary managed Import Plaza for 20 years and served many local organizations with thoughtfulness and grace.  Verne and Aki Naito represented the donor family at the banquet..  The winner of the Mary K. Naito Scholarship was Kou Yuasa from Sunset High School. Kou is Salutatorian of her class, a member of the marching bank who is a lead student conductor and trumpet sub-section leader and has attended the Portland Japanese School since 5th grade.  Kou will be attending Waseda University in Japan. 

Sam Naito Scholarship JAS honors Sam Naito with this scholarship.  Sam Naito is a respected advisor, past president of JAS and advocate for education and social justice.  This award is supported by the Southwest Washington Community Fund.  The winner of this scholarship was Claire Coffey of Grant High School.  Claire was an editor-in-chief of Grant Magazine which has won numerous awards.  She was 2nd team All-PIL on the Grant Volleyball Team and she was co-President of Grant High School’s Japanese Immersion Program Student Council.  Claire will be attending Northwestern University.

Gresham-Troutdale JACL (GT) JACL Scholarship The Gresham-Troutdale JACL is part of the oldest national civil rights organization in America.  It serves to protect the rights of not only Asians, but all minorities, and nurtures the cultural heritage of Japanese Americans.  Mr. Terry Nishikawa, President of GT JACL, presented the scholarship.  The winner of the Gresham-Troutdale JACL Scholarship was Aiden Yee of Benson High School.  Aiden is the Co-President of the Unite People Youth Group connected to Portland JACL, a competitive Rock Climber and a barista at Bobacat Tea House.  Aiden will be attending the University of British Columbia.

Epworth United Methodist Church Scholarship Epworth United Methodist Church has evolved to become a reconciling congregation that welcomes people of all backgrounds and identities, and practices with an inclusive vision and in alignment with these values.  The Epworth scholarship is provided to support the promotion of compassion, justice, and community building in our youth.  Ms. Marilyn Sholian represented Epworth for this scholarship. The winner of the Epworth United Methodist Church Scholarship was Lindsay Persuad of Clackamas High School.  Lindsay is a member of her school’s Student Athlete Leadership Team, earned All League Honorable Mention in Track and Field for discus and the 4×400 m relay.  Lindsay will be attending Clackamas Community College.

Oregon Nisei Veterans Scholarships The Oregon Nisei Veterans began in 1948 with the purpose of raising money to build a monument to honor the Nisei soldiers killed in action during WWII.  The Oregon Nisei Veterans awards two scholarships: The Art and Teri Iwasaki Scholarship and The Roger T. Okamoto Scholarship.  The scholarships were presented by Mr. Paul Tamura.

Art and Teri Iwasaki Scholarship Art Iwasaki was a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat team during WWII and a founding member of Oregon Nisei Vets.  Art was a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and this scholarship is given in memory of his loving wife, Teri.  The winner of the Art and Teri Iwasaki Scholarship was Tyler Saito Takasumi from Oregon Episcopal School.  Tyler was a paid coding instructor for elementary and middle school students, she won 1st place in the school science fair in cellular microbiology and she competes with the Rock Climbing Team at the Multnomah Athletic Club.  Tyler will be attending Boston College.

Roger T. Okamoto Scholarship Second Lieutenant Roger Okamoto was killed in Vietnam in 1966 at the age of 23.  Lieutenant Okamoto graduated from Benson High School and earned an engineering degree from the University of Washington.  Mrs. Janice Okamoto and her son, Mr. Gary Okamoto, represented the family at the banquet. The winner of the Roger T. Okamoto Scholarship was Myles Mathies of Sam Barlow High School.  Myles was a member of the Varsity Golf Team, and taught golf to kids.  He also played Basketball and refereed middle school games.  Myles will be attending Oregon State University.

Shokookai of Portland Scholarship Portland Shokookai was founded in 1966 by a small group of Japanese companies.  They facilitate business operations for Japanese companies in Oregon and SW Washington and run the Japanese Language School.  Mr. Yoshiyuki Hori presented the scholarship.  This year’s Shokookai of Portland Scholarship winner was Ren Gregie of Grant High School.  Ren was part of his school’s Constitution Team Unit that scored the highest in Oregon.  He was a leader on the Cross Country and Track and Field teams and a member of Unite People.  Ren will be attending the University of Oregon.  

Portland JACL Scholarships Portland JACL was established in 1928 with an ongoing mission to fight social injustice and to preserve the cultural heritage and values of Japanese Americans.   Portland JACL awarded four scholarships this year: Two Kiyoko Yumibe Scholarships, the Yoshiko Kennedy Scholarship and the Matt Matsuoka Scholarship.  The scholarships were presented by Mr. Jeff Matsumoto, the President of Portland JACL.

Kiyoko Yumibe Scholarship #1 Kiyoko Yumibe was a hard-working Nisei who was incarcerated during WWII.  She established a fund, through Portland JACL, to help support youth seeking higher education.  Representing the donors at the banquet were Mr. and Mrs. Gary and Diane Onchi. The winner of the first Yumibe Scholarship was Avery Hughes-Davis of Vancouver iTech High School.  Avery was the Student Body President, on a student advisory board for Vancouver Public Schools and volunteered 90-100 hours/year with the Oregon Buddhist Temple.  Avery will be attending Georgetown University next year.

Kiyoko Yumibe Scholarship #2 The winner of the second Yumibe Scholarship was Reiko Nitta of Lincoln High School.  Reiko was the Student Body Co-President, three time Class Co-President, and competed on the Cross Country, Track and Field, Swim and Synchronized Swimming teams.  Reiko will be attending Georgia Institute of Technology next year.

Yoshiko Kennedy Scholarship  Yoshiko Kennedy used her talents as a seamstress and master of Ikebana to ensure her children would receive an education.  The Yoshiko Kennedy Scholarship was created in her memory.  The winner of the Yoshiko Kennedy Scholarship was Hanako Duff of Grant High School.  Hanako was an AP Scholar, started the Grant Badminton Club and tutored other students in SAT prep and Japanese.  Hanako will be attending the University of Oregon next year.

Matt Masuoka Scholarship This scholarship honors Matthew Masuoka, a Nisei dentist, who was past president of Portland JACL in 1952, and Pacific Northwest District Governor in 1953-55.  This scholarship is given in his honor by his daughter, Dr. Connie Masuoka, who helps organize the Graduation Banquet every year.  The winner of the Matt Masuoka Scholarship was Lennon Kalapsa of Grant High School.  Lennon was a certified member of the Oregon State Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team, worked as a Lifeguard with Portland Parks and Recreation and was a member of his school’s Track and Field Team.  Lennon will be attending the University of Oregon.  

The Veleda Club Scholarships The Veleda Club is Portland’s oldest Nikkei women’s service organization that is active in the community today.  They are dedicated to supporting the community and preserving Japanese American heritage and traditions.  The Veleda Club awarded two scholarships: the Veleda Club Scholarship and the Veleda Club Scholarship honoring Mrs. Misao Minagi.  Mrs. Sharon Takahashi represented the Veleda Club.

The winner of the Veleda Club Scholarship was Midori Carollo of Ida B. Wells High School.  Midori was a Varsity Cheerleader, she played and performed on Koto and she was a 13 year member of Girl Scouts.  Midori will be attending the University of California Davis.

The Veleda Club Scholarship in honor of Mrs. Misao Minagi Mrs. Minagi was 105 years old when she passed away on March 1, 2025.  She was an ardent supporter of our youth and this event.  The winner of the Veleda Club Scholarship in honor of Mrs. Misao Minagi was Reon Sano-Ochiai of Mountain View High School.  Reon conducted independent research at Reed College on retinal development, participated in the International Leadership Conference for Health Occupations and played on the Varsity Soccer Team.  Reon will be attending the University of Oregon.

Nikkei Fujinkai Scholarship Portland Nikkei Fujinkai is a Japanese Ancestral Women’s Association that was established in 1935.  They support community activities and cultural education.  Mrs. Michie Uzunoe presented the scholarship. The winner of the Nikkei Fujinkai Scholarship was Koshi Takamiyagi of Early College High School.  Koshi received the gold and silver in abacus competitions for Kawakami School Japan and placed 52nd nationally.  He also tutors students in math at Portland Community College.  Koshi will be attending Boston University next year.

The Graduate’s Response was given by Reiko Nitta of Lincoln High School.  Reiko thanked the Japanese American community for helping the graduates and noted that the students thrived because of the community’s constant support.  She also thanked all of the donors and noted that the entire event would not have been possible without the graduation banquet committee.  Reiko said that she and the other graduates felt the love and support of the whole community and were grateful to be part of the Japanese American community.

The Ice Breaker Awards, a fun event for the graduates to learn about people in the Nikkei community, were given out by Mrs. Elaine Yuzuriha.  She ended with a reminder to the graduates to return back to their community after they graduate and wished them well in their next steps.

Congratulations to the graduates of the class of 2025!  You are a class filled with academic prowess, athletic abilities, commitment to your communities and so much more.  We applaud you and look forward to hearing about your future endeavors. 

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JACL Condemns Use of Alien Enemies Act

On March 15th, 2025, President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, specifically targeting foreign nationals from Venezuela who are alleged members of the Trend de Aragua criminal organization. The Alien Enemies Act was last used to intern 31,000 Japanese, German, and Italian nationals during WWII. As the Japanese American community knows, the scope was expanded to include United States citizens through Executive Order 9066 leading to the incarceration of over 125,000 people of Japanese ancestry. We fear that the Venezuelan immigrant community is now being similarly targeted through the unlawful use and expansion of the Alien Enemies Act.

This is the fourth invocation of the Alien Enemies Act in the history of the United States, however, this is the only time outside of wartime. Under the newly signed EO “Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act Regarding the Invasion of The United States by Tren De Aragua”, any Venezuelan national over the age of 14, who is alleged to have ties to the Tren de Aragua gang is subject to be arrested, detained, and deported regardless of their immigration status. Not only is this an unlawful use of the Alien Enemies Act, outside the scope of wartime, but is overly broad and can be used to target individuals with no proven connection to Tren de Agua except through their Venezuelan citizenship.

The Federal District Court immediately intervened and issued a temporary restraining order to block the deportation of any individuals under the authority of this executive order and called for a plane carrying deportees to immediately return to the United States. In what would be especially egregious behavior, the Trump administration may have blatantly ignored the judge’s orders and carried out deportations on Saturday under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act.

The Trump administration’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act is unconstitutional and continues the deeply racist and xenophobic legacy of Japanese American incarceration during WWII. The danger of the Alien Enemies Acts is the power granted to the President to circumvent the constitutional rights to due process for immigrants under the guise of national security. As it was revealed after the war, Japanese Americans posed no security threat, and many Japanese Americans served with distinction to defeat the Axis powers, even as their families remained imprisoned behind barbed wire in American concentration camps. 

We call for the administration to comply fully with the temporary restraining order and halt any deportations under the proposed authority of the Alien Enemies Act. The alleged blatant disregard for Judge Boasberg’s orders to turn the plane carrying deportees around cannot be tolerated in a nation of laws. The Alien Enemies Act cannot be invoked without a declaration of war, an act that only Congress can take. Congress can and should pass the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, which would repeal the Alien Enemies Act to ensure that the President cannot abuse the law and further desecrate our Constitution.

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ELON MUSK AND DOGE ARE SUED

Washington, DC —  Today, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) — on behalf of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, the Sierra Club and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) — sued Elon Musk and his so-called U.S. DOGE Service (DOGE) for acting beyond their power to slash federal funding, dismantle federal agencies and fire federal employees. 

Decisions regarding how the federal government spends its money lie with Congress. Elon Musk’s unchecked power throughout the federal government is a lawless threat to our democracy. 

Neither Elon Musk nor DOGE have the lawful authority to exercise the sweeping power that they currently wield in the federal government. However, since President Trump created DOGE and placed Elon Musk at its helm, Musk has exercised significant unconstitutional authority and taken control over our agencies and our funding systems. This illegal and reckless control over the federal government has upended the lives of countless individuals, both within the United States and abroad. 

“Our system of checks and balances does not permit the president or an unelected megadonor to unilaterally control the federal budget. Americans must be protected from destructive, illegal and unconstitutional DOGE actions,” said Trevor Potter, president of Campaign Legal Center. “Elon Musk, the president’s biggest political donor, is recklessly interfering with the work of the federal government, threatening our safety and our well-being. For the sake of our clients and preserving democracy, we call for an immediate end to this unconstitutional power grab.”

“JACL joins this lawsuit to stop DOGE from making reckless cuts that will directly impact national historic sites under the National Park Service that are among those where over 125,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated during WWII. These sites honor those who were incarcerated and serve as a legacy to our children so that future generations of Americans will understand the unfortunate and preventable capacity for our government to act maliciously against a group of people such as ours,” stated JACL Executive Director, David Inoue. “We invest in our future through our children, and elimination and endangerment of education programs will directly impact many of our own members. Japanese Americans are especially fond of a saying in Japanese, ‘Kodomo no tame ni’ which means ‘For the sake of the children.’ This is why we join this action today.”

“The reckless budget cuts at the Department of Education are a direct assault on Pell Grant recipients, student organizations, and AANAPISI institutions that are vital to advancing educational equity,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates. “Education is the gateway to opportunity — the heart of the American Dream — and these cuts threaten to block that path for countless students. Instead of opening doors for students, DOGE’s action at the ED are slamming them shut, and putting the future of countless young people at risk.”

“American families are already feeling the effects of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s careless and illegal cuts to our federal workforce. Firefighters and forest management staff have been dismissed as families remain on edge from the threats wildfires pose. Families wanting to enjoy our national parks, forests and monuments are being welcomed with closed signs, long lines, and unmaintained trails — before the parks’ busiest season has yet to begin. Without the workers to staff and support our public lands, communities will face more dangerous and deadly fires, park visitors will face unsafe conditions, and local economies that rely on national parks will struggle. Only Trump and Musk would try to threaten America’s best idea. We are taking DOGE to court to defend Americans’ ability to safely and freely access the landscapes that unite us,” said Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club.

“When the rule of law is compromised and science is sidelined by an unelected billionaire donor, people get hurt. DOGE’s actions have interfered with life-saving research and scientific collaboration on cancer, vaccines, extreme weather and more,” said Gretchen Goldman, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists. “They have pulled funding for job-boosting clean technology initiatives and fired civil servants who enforce laws that protect us from air, water and climate pollution. They have compromised websites and other communications channels, obstructing access to data that the U.S. public has paid for and depends on.”

Americans did not elect Elon Musk, and an unelected megadonor should not be able to pick and choose which critical agencies can continue to serve the public or which policy priorities Congress should fund. The courts must move to hold Musk and DOGE accountable. Elon Musk’s activities as DOGE’s head are illegal and a threat to the constitutionally mandated separation of powers. 

Keep up with Campaign Legal Center’s latest legal actions on DOGE here.

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National JACL Statement

The JACL Denounces President Trump’s Executive Order Expanding Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp

The JACL denounces President Trump’s Executive Order expanding the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp to hold as many as 30,000 deported migrants. Guantanamo Bay has imprisoned hundreds of migrants intercepted at sea and more notoriously, suspected enemy combatants who were subjected to torture and denial of basic legal rights. Many who have been held at Guantanamo were never formally charged with a crime and were subject to “arbitrary detention” for years. 

The expansion of Guantanamo to hold tens of thousands of detainees is eerily evocative of a previous time in our nation’s history. Our country last employed mass incarceration of this scale during WWII when over 125,000 people of Japanese ancestry were imprisoned at concentration camps and detention centers across the country. That was also done in the name of “national security” and as it was discovered years later that the security threat was a falsified one, we similarly question the urgent threat to our national security. 

It is noteworthy that the expansion of the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay would be “a temporary transit … where we can plus-up thousands and tens of thousands, if necessary, to humanely move illegals out of our country, where they do not belong, back to the countries where they came from in a proper process.” We cannot help but draw parallels to how Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes to “temporary detention centers” for an unknown period of time before being transferred without their constitutional right of due process to more permanent incarceration camp sites deep in the American interior on desolate desserts, mountains, plains, and swamps. 

JACL demands that we not repeat the inhumanity of mass incarceration that has become part of our community’s experienced trauma. As so many Japanese Americans understand, the inhumanity and cruelty of what happened during WWII, enforced by our own government, should never be repeated again.

See more on National’s site

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National JACL Statement

JACL Responds to Inaugural Address

The JACL is deeply alarmed and concerned by the Executive Orders issued by President Trump following his inauguration as our nation’s 47th President. These executive orders threaten to destroy decades of advances in civil liberties and civil rights. The Japanese American Citizens League is especially concerned with Executive Orders calling for the end of birthright citizenship, an escalation of the border crisis including the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, the overt discrimination towards LGBTQIA+ individuals, and the rollback of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility initiatives including the removal of key governmental programs meant to support marginalized communities and the perversion of Civil Rights laws to advance a white supremacist agenda. 

Much of the language and rhetoric within these orders hearken back to numerous times in our nation’s long-ago history, when our government openly discriminated against marginalized groups particularly our own Japanese American community, echoing all too eerily the months preceding and following Executive Order 9066. The declaration of a “national emergency” at our Southern border, with plans to use “detention centers” resulting in possibly “family separation” directly parallels the trumped-up threat of national security from Japanese Americans during WWII resulting in the mass incarceration of 125,000 people, who were never convicted of a crime or given due process protected under the law. Just as it was then, the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act is being used with the fear of an overstated national security threat to remove fundamental legal protections for immigrants. 

During WWII, two-thirds of the 125,000 men, women, and children forcibly removed from the safety of their homes and incarcerated in American concentration camps were American citizens by birth under the 14th Amendment and affirmed by the Supreme Court Case US v. Wong Kim Ark. They gained this citizenship even as their parents were barred from naturalization due to the racist laws in place at the time. And while it may be a coincidence, the date on which this order would go into effect has even further meaning for Japanese Americans. The order states that it shall go into effect 30 days after its issuance, which falls on February 19th, 2025 — exactly 83 years to the day from the signing of Executive Order 9066 which paved the way for Japanese American incarceration.  

Following the indignity of our community’s incarceration, the JACL recognized the shared experience of discrimination and the need to work together as a nation to implement the instruments to overcome the impediments of structural racism. As we remember the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. this week, we recall the fight for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which remains the law of the land and continues to lift up the equal rights of protected communities. The administration’s efforts to dismantle Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility programs place it in direct opposition to these laws that all government employees are sworn to uphold, including the President. Dismantling programs like the White House Initiative on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders only cripples the ability of the government to work effectively in our communities.

We especially recognize the ugly hatred directed at the transgender community. Revoking the recognition of transgender people on their federally issued documents will not erase them and pitting transgender people against women and false fears for our children will not be a winning strategy. This strategy failed years ago when it was employed against the broader gay and lesbian communities and it will fail again this time.

JACL opposes these executive orders and the attempts to dismantle generations of civil rights law. In a single day, our nation has once again regressed to a bygone era that engenders fear of communities of color, immigrants, and all those who don’t conform to some people’s view of what it means to be an American. These are not the true threats to our democracy and to our nation that these executive orders would lead us to believe. Our ancestors fought to bring an end to our discriminatory past, to ensure that future generations had a better chance in this nation. We must recognize that there is still much work to be done, that discrimination remains a part of our society, and that now is not the time to roll back our efforts to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans.

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National JACL Statement

JACL Commends the Biden Administration’s Apology for Indigenous Boarding Schools

October 25, 2024

For Immediate Release

Seia Watanabe, VP Public Affairs, swatanabe@jacl.org

Matthew Weisbly, Education & Communications Coordinator, mweisbly@jacl.org

On Friday, October 25th, 2024, President Biden spoke at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona and offered an apology for the U.S. government’s past practice of forcibly removing Indigenous children from their families and transferring them to government-operated boarding schools.

As early as 1819 and lasting until the late 1960s, the United States government established and operated boarding schools to “civilize” Indigenous children – what we now recognize as a euphemism for an attempt at the systematic and deliberate destruction of the culture and society of Indigenous communities in the United States. These institutions are a lasting stain on American history and serve as only one of many examples of the mistreatment and bigotry that Indigenous communities have faced at the hands of our government.

Donna Cheung, Civil Rights Chair of the Arizona Chapter of the JACL commented; “From my perspective, a leader who acknowledges and rights a historical wrong reflects a strong, confident nation because such an admission reaffirms the moral centrality of the nation. The apology from a sitting U.S. President to First Nation communities is so significant because the U.S. was founded by displacing these communities. The existence of the U.S. is at a profound cost to Native Americans and that needs to be acknowledged also.”

The JACL recognizes that apologies from the U.S. government are a critical step in addressing discrimination and promoting the healing of generational trauma, which has been felt most poignantly by the Indigenous peoples of the United States. The JACL applauds this historic action by the Biden Administration and expresses our hope that this apology serves as just one step towards meaningful and long overdue restorative justice for the many Indigenous communities in the United States.

https://jacl.org/statements/jacl-commends-the-biden-administrations-apology-for-indigenous-boarding-schools

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National JACL Statement

JACL Calls on White House to End Funding of Israel’s Military and Human Rights Violations 

October 24, 2024

For Immediate Release

Seia Watanabe, VP Public Affairs, swatanabe@jacl.org

Matthew Weisbly, Education & Communications Coordinator, mweisbly@jacl.org

As a nearly century-old organization, the JACL has a long history of supporting the civil and human rights of all those targeted by injustice or hate. With this history in mind, and in accordance with Resolution 1, passed with an overwhelming majority at our 2024 national convention, we call for an end to the U.S. government’s funding of the Israeli military, where that aid enables the continued violation of international humanitarian laws, including the Geneva Conventions, and US law including the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 U.S.C. §2378-1. The Foreign Assistance Law expressly prohibits the assistance or the exportation of military weapons to countries that directly or indirectly restrict the transportation or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance. 

Israel’s persistent attacks on Hamas have severely impacted Gaza’s health, food, power, and other critical infrastructure, hindering aid efforts while increasing humanitarian needs. Nearly 300 aid workers have been killed since hostilities began in Gaza. Due to the high risk to personnel, many organizations have halted or reduced aid operations including the recent cessation of polio vaccination programs for children in the region. 

The implementation of a de facto “starve-or-leave” policy in northern Gaza is reprehensible and constitutes a clear violation of international law.

To comply with U.S. law and to alleviate the immense suffering in Gaza, the JACL calls on President Biden to end the U.S. government’s military support to Israel that enables state actions in violation of established international conventions. We support the President’s recent indications of his willingness to use such pressure on the Israeli government to end the blockade of humanitarian aid to the region, as well as the efforts of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to broker a peace settlement that must include the return of all hostages.

https://jacl.org/statements/jacl-calls-on-white-house-to-end-funding-of-israels-military-and-human-rights-violations

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JACL Condemns “Operation Aurora” and Calls for the Passage of the “Neighbors Not Enemies” Act.

On October 11th, 2024, Former President and current Presidential Candidate Donald Trump told a host of people at his rally in Aurora, Colorado, that if he were to win the 2024 Presidential race he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to enforce country-wide mass deportations of so-called migrant criminal networks which he has dubbed “Operation Aurora”. In the days following, Former President Trump repeated these statements at rallies in Prescott Valley, Arizona, and Coachella, California. The JACL strongly condemns the words of Former President Trump and renews its call on Congress to pass the Neighbors Not Enemies Act (H.R. 3610/S.1747) introduced by Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Mazie Hirono, which would repeal the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. 

As the only remaining component of the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Alien Enemies Act grants the president with the power to authorize the arrest, detention, and deportation of citizens of an “enemy nation” during wartime. While detained, foreign nationals of enemy nations would be treated as prisoners of war and could even be detained after hostilities with an enemy nation ceased. This controversial act was first used by President Roosevelt in 1941 to arrest and detain citizens of Japan, Germany, and Italy without due process. In 1942 President Roosevelt expanded the scope of his wartime powers to issue Executive Order 9066 which led to the mass incarceration of over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry. The Alien Enemies Act was also referenced by Former President Trump in 2016 when he issued Executive Order 13769 also known as the “Muslim Ban” that prohibited individuals from predominantly Muslim nations from entering the United States, under the false guise of national security. 

The utilization of the Alien Enemies Act as a broad immigration enforcement tool is a gross misapplication of a centuries-old law meant specifically for use in wartime. The suggestion that migrant communities originate from enemy nations and that the United States is at war with migrants is poisonous rhetoric that only seeks to divide the American people, distance the United States from neighboring countries and dehumanize migrant families and communities seeking a better life in the United States.

JACL Executive Director, David Inoue stated “Former President Trump has peddled a false narrative of immigrants as a broad threat to our country. While there are many in this country who face challenges in an economy that has benefited a wealthy minority and any potential for violence can strike fear in any community, the source of these difficulties is not from immigrants who actually bring economic growth and vibrancy to the communities in which they reside. Spreading lies that incite escalating fear will lead to dire consequences such as the Japanese American community experienced during WWII.”

We at the JACL renew our commitment to protecting the rights of all people, regardless of their citizenship status or nation of origin. We urge the public and our partners to stand with us and call on Congress to pass the Neighbors Not Enemies Act before the Alien Enemies Act can once again be used to violate the due process and equal protection rights of people residing in the United States. Additionally, we call on the public and our leaders of good conscience to stand against increasing xenophobic rhetoric and condemn Former President Trump’s continuing attacks on immigrant communities.