Enemy Aliens

WWII “Enemy Alien” Program

1942 Department of Justice Notice to Aliens

During WWII, the US government operated an “enemy alien” program which affected nearly one million immigrants from the Italian, German and Japanese communities in the US and from Latin America. This program was separate from the internment of the 120,000 US citizens and resident immigrants of Japanese ancestry.

In the late 1930s, as turmoil in Europe and Asia escalated, the US government began to prepare for the possibility of US involvement in war. Preparations included surveillance of Japanese, German and Italian resident aliens, compiling lists of “potentially dangerous persons” and plans for internment and deportation. This was massive racial and ethnic profiling, not based on action or evidence but rather on who could potentially be dangerous.

Following the Japanese military attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, nearly one million law-abiding immigrants were labeled “enemy aliens.” No distinction was made between resident immigrants and aliens in the US on a temporary basis. The US government also went outside its borders and violated the rights of civilians in 15 Latin American countries. Over 6000 men, women and children of German, Italian and Japanese ancestry -- both immigrant residents as well as citizens of those countries--were taken from their homes, forcibly deported and interned in US concentration camps for the purpose of prisoner exchange.

"I think it is undesirable for the written record to show that the initiative came from  [the United States]…I fear that in the post-war period, unfriendly leaders in the other republics may use incidents such as this to demonstrate…the United States was really interfering in the internal affairs of the other republics.  I see no reason why we should give them written evidence..."

--  John Moors Cabot memo to Philip W. Bonsal (Chief of the American Republics desk, DOS), 11/15/43

In total over 31,000 “enemy aliens” of German, Italian and Japanese ancestry in the US and from Latin America were apprehended, detained and thousands interned for reasons of “national security”—but without charges, incarcerated for indefinite duration, held without trial. And for those in the US who were detained and given a hearing, they were not told of any charges against them, not allowed to confront witnesses and were not allowed the counsel of attorneys. Over 4800 (including US citizens who were the minor children of permanent resident aliens) were forcibly deported to war zones of the Far East and Europe in the prisoner exchange. Most internees were released from camp by the end of the war in 1946, but some were still interned until 1949 in Ellis Island. Some internees had been interned for 7 years.

Later review of records of these “dangerous enemy aliens” show there was often no specific evidence of subversive activities. Rather they lost years of their lives on the basis of “potential” danger. The impact of these violations has been long lasting in their communities and has current day significance for our democratic institutions and freedoms.