Licensing

How Was This Possible?

"My father was taken just after December 7th. Officials entered our house, searched everything and took him away."

Who were these individuals who were taken? How was the FBI able to target them so quickly after the surprise attack? How was this possible in a nation founded by and built on the toil and personal sacrifices of immigrants? What did it mean for a country that proclaimed its democratic principles of "liberty and justice for all?"

FBI agents arrested foreign nationals of Japanese descent living in Western states immediately following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Most of those taken were long-time immigrants who had worked hard and prospered, living the American dream, building commercial and agricultural businesses and serving as leaders of their communities in a range of impressive capacities, such as newspaper editors, teachers, and business, religious and cultural leaders. As pillars of their own ethnic communities, these individuals were highly respected, admired by their peers, families, and younger generations.