National Defense Authorization Act
The Japanese American community has worked tirelessly to ensure that the illegal incarceration and indefinite detention of American citizens during World War II would never happen again. This Act contains language that may be interpreted to allow the President to authorize the military to detain anyone in our country, including U.S. citizens without charge or trial.
Please use the link below to send a message to President Obama.
Submit your Comments to President Obama
Sample Text
I urge that you veto the National Defense Authorization (NDA) Act in light of two sections of the House-Senate Conference report (Sections 1021 and 1022) which remain ambiguous and do not fully protect Americans’ Constitutional rights. You have reversed your decision based on changes that have been made to the NDA Act, however the bill still gives the President the power to authorize the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and legal permanent residents without charge or trial.
The United States has been down this path before with the illegal detention of Japanese Americans during World War II. The US government was right to condemn its decision to forcibly relocate and indefinitely detain individuals of Japanese descent, including American citizens, without due process. Efforts to correct the consequences of this failure in leadership continue today. I urge you not to repeat those mistakes.
Whether it is World War II or the War on Terror, we must stay true to the constitution and protect the right to due process. Policies guided by fear, suspicion and unsubstantiated claims will not make us safer. Abandoning our core American values and sacrificing basic human rights is unacceptable. Remember your commitment to the American people and veto the National Defense Authorization Act. If you do not, I demand that you publicly commit to refraining from authorizing the military to indefinitely detain individuals suspected of terrorism on American soil.