With President Trump’s travel ban targeting Muslims, Muratsuchi’s bill intends to ensure such discrimination never happens again
Torrance, CA – Assembly Bill (AB) 491, which establishes $3 million in grants to the State Library for the education of Japanese American incarceration, today passed the Assembly Education Committee on a unanimous vote of 7-0. Specifically, the bill will extend funding for the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, run by the State Library, through an appropriation of $3 million in General Funds that will be distributed over the next three years.
This bill is designed to ensure that one of the worst massive violations of civil liberties in our nation will never happen again.
“The incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans without due process of law during World War II began with one presidential executive order,” stated Muratsuchi. “Today, we are seeing similar executive orders now targeting Muslims as modern day threats to our national security. Now, more than ever, every American needs to learn the lessons of the Japanese American incarceration to understand that our Constitution should not allow any community to be targeted because of their national origin or faith.”
Barbara Takei of the Tule Lake Committee, a non-profit organization that represents Japanese American survivors and descendants of those imprisoned during WWII at the Tule Lake concentration camp in Northern California and works to preserve the historic site, supports the bill.
“Given the echoes of 1942 and the rising climate of fear and racism targeting Muslims, immigrants and refugees, the work of the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program is more important than ever. To ensure the mistakes of the past are not forgotten and not repeated, we are grateful that you have introduced AB 491 to continue the work of this valuable program.”
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi represents California’s 66th Assembly District, which includes El Camino Village, Gardena, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance, and West Carson. He serves as Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace. He is a member of the Assembly Committees on Appropriations, Natural Resources, Utilities and Energy, and Veterans Affairs.