The Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs issued the following statement regarding today’s Supreme Court decision on a travel ban impacting Muslim-majority nations and the federal government’s use of Hirabayashi v. United States as the basis for its legal argument in a recent case.
“CAPAA joins Gov. Inslee in expressing our commitment to a state that upholds the values of diversity and inclusion and is welcoming to all people. We express our disdain regarding today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upholds the president’s travel ban policy.
“The Commission believes the use of national security to exclude and discriminate against a group of people based on their country of origin, culture, or beliefs is wrong. As Justice Sotomayor cited in her dissenting opinion, today’s decision has ‘stark parallels’ to the Korematsu v. United States decision in 1944.
“We condemn the federal government’s use of Hirabayashi v. United States as the basis for a recent legal argument. The use of the race-based decision is appalling. The Commission stands with the Japanese American Citizens League and other civil rights organizations to ensure that we never repeat past injustices.”