The fight for equality continues

Dear Friends,

This month marks the 35th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 that provided reparations and a formal apology by the U.S. government for their unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. This year on the anniversary date of the signing, Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement on behalf of the State of California, acknowledging the direct involvement of the California Attorney General’s Office in the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in 1942.

“While we can never erase the horrors of the past, we must take steps to atone for past wrongs by answering the call for accountability, truth and reconciliation, racial healing and transformation,” said Attorney General Bonta. 

We commend California Attorney General Rob Bonta for his statement of apology, recognizing the Office’s role in support of Executive Order 9066, the imprisonment of national civil rights hero Fred Korematsu, and the California Alien Land Law of 1913 in our history.

Acknowledging our country’s painful history is a crucial step towards true justice and reconciliation to ensure history does not repeat itself. The fight for equality and fair representation continues as we see echoes of history in the resurgence of Alien Land Laws and continued anti-Asian hate. We thank Attorney General Bonta’s commitment to the equal protection of the life, liberty, and property of all Americans.