TESTIMONIALS, VARIOUS PEOPLE
When I was admitted to the United States in late June 1941 at the age of 18, I was classified as a Class 1 student, which meant I was not authorized to become gainfully employed. Later, however, I learned that there was no problem in my earning room and board so long as I went to a day school on a full-time basis. The Immigration and Naturalization Service, I was told, was tolerant of foreign students working as domestic help because they did not deprive American citizens of jobs.
(Murata, Kiyoaki. An Enemy Among Friends. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1991, pg. 47.)
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In February 1942, just two months after Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt as commander-in-chief, issued Executive Order 9066, which had the effect of relocating all persons of Japanese ancestry, both citizens and aliens, inland, outside of the Pacific military zone. The objectives of the order were to prevent espionage and to protect persons of Japanese descent from harm at the hands of Americans who had strong anti-Japanese attitudes.
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On June 2, 1942, the Western Defense Command announced that “all persons of Japanese ancestry” living in Military Area 2 were forbidden to travel beyond twentyfive miles and also issued an 8PM curfew. What this meant was obvious. Those within Military Area 2, were like those in Area 1, to end up in the same public facilities: War Relocation Centers. These centers were, we heard, being hastily built in the interior.
(Murata, Kiyoaki. An Enemy Among Friends. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1991, pg. 99.)
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When we were evacuated, we were only allowed to take one suitcase. I was just a little girl at the time, so I stuffed as much clothes as I could into the suitcase. At the train station, the hinges on my suitcase broke and all my clothes spilled out everywhere. I started to cry, but my father stayed very calm and helped me with my clothes. Everything around me seemed so chaotic and I was scared.
(Yamaguchi, Precious. Experiences of Japanese American Women during and after World War II: Living in Internment Camps and Rebuilding Life Afterwards. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2014, pg. 46.)
May 1943. 3 (Mon.) Doctor Kelly... said... “it is contrary to the democratic principle that the Orientals are not given citizenship due to their race. There are many intelligent people among the Japanese. It is an accident of history that Japanese who have nothing to do with the war were put into camps just because they happened to be an enemy aliens... Mormons, Catholics, Jews, and Negroes were once rejected.”
(Kaneshiro, Takeo. Internees: War Relocation Center Memoirs and Diaries. New York: Vantage Press, 1976, pg. 25.)
Farah Geedi, 28, who fled Mogadishu, Somalia, five years ago because Shabab militants were recruiting soldiers in his neighborhood. “To say we don’t want these people at all because the countries that they are from are terrorist hotbeds—yes, I agree with him. We know, because that’s why we are fleeing there. But why are we fleeing? It’s not that we are terrorists... Fleeing is trying to get something good: trying to get out of a bad thing and reach a good situation, a good place, just to live in a place that is peaceful.”
(Su, Alice. “Refugees Annotate Trump’s Executive Order.” The New York Times, March 13, 2017.)
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“I worked with the U.S. forces for more than six years. I gave my life to serve this side, to help my country, to help my government. And now, the new president of America came, and he said, hey, guys, sorry, I can’t receive you, I can’t let you come inside my country, because you are Muslim, because you served our country. Now I’m working to find some future, a good future to my son. I’m asking Trump: Think about us. Think about people who helped your army when you came to Iraq. We gave our lives, and we need to be safe.” Dler Nader, 44, from Baghdad, a security guard for United States coalition forces who left Iraq seven years ago after receiving death threats for his work with Americans.
(Su, Alice. “Refugees Annotate Trump’s Executive Order.” The New York Times, March 13, 2017.)
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Abu Mohand, 54, who fled civil war in South Kordofan, Sudan, in 2013. He and his wife and son got permission to resettle in America last year, and had begun the vetting process.“I know we need America in a good condition to take care of the world. America has helped Sudan before, and helped many countries. Don’t close America and force refugees out. The people need help. The people are looking for a future, for education, for peace. We are also against terror. We need to help each other together.”
(Su, Alice. “Refugees Annotate Trump’s Executive Order.” The New York Times, March 13, 2017.)
I feel completely ruined,” said Ahmed Hassan, a Somali refugee heading for Rhode Island. In the past few weeks, Mr. Hassan was bused out of the camp; sent to a transit center in Nairobi...; given travel documents; told he was about to fly to America; bused back to the camp; and then told he might actually fly to America after all. He boarded a bus in Nairobi to return to the camp just hours before the federal judge lifted the travel ban...He had arrived back at the refugee camp on Saturday afternoon, retreated from the crowds shouting questions at him and hid inside a room.
(Dickerson, Caitlin and Jeffrey Gettleman. “Lifting of Travel Ban Sets Off Rush to Reach U.S.,” The New York Times. 5 February 2017.)
