Asian Americans Advancing Justice Condemns Comments Justifying Internment Camps

We demand an apology and retraction from Mayor Bowers for citing incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II as rationale for barring refugees.
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For Immediate Release
Contact
Michelle Boykins (202) 296-2300, ext. 0144 mboykins@advancingjustice-aajc.org

WASHINGTON - As Asian American civil rights organizations, we condemn the statement of Mayor David Bowers of Roanoke, Virginia, in which he cites the mass incarceration of “Japanese nationals” during World War II as rationale for his decision to bar Syrian refugees from Roanoke.  

We are outraged that in 2015, an elected leader in the U.S. would find inspiration in the imprisonment of more than 100,000 innocent individuals without due process – an act long-since denounced as unconstitutional, driven by “race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” 
 
We demand an apology and retraction from Mayor Bowers, as his xenophobic statement paves the path towards violations of civil rights and civil liberties, and a repeat of the tragic mistakes of our nation’s past.

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Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation's members are: Advancing Justice - AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Advancing Justice - Atlanta, and Advancing Justice - Chicago.