[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       WARTIME VIOLATION OF ITALIAN AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RICK LAZIO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 1997

  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a 
resolution to draw attention to a seldom remembered episode in 
America's past. During World War II, shortly after the bombing of Pearl 
Harbor, thousands of Italian-Americans were deprived of their basic 
civil liberties. We must acknowledge this terrible tragedy to pay 
tribute to those who suffered, and to ensure that such a breach of 
liberties will never happen again.
  In 1942, Italians, numbering close to 23 million people, were the 
largest foreign-born group in the United States. While thousands of 
Italian-Americans were fighting for our country in Europe and the 
Pacific, Italian-Americans who had not attained citizenship were deemed 
enemy aliens. Whole Italian-American communities on the West Coast were 
evacuated. Shopkeepers, fishermen, and farm workers were ordered to 
move inland. As a result, families were separated. Jobs, homes, 
businesses, even some lives were lost. So many Italian-Americans 
suffered. Yet 50 years later, theirs is a largely untold story.
  My resolution calls for the President to acknowledge the injustices 
suffered by Italian-Americans during World War II. Furthermore, the 
resolution calls on the Justice Department to publish a report, 
documenting the specific violations of their basic civil rights during 
this period. In order to heighten public awareness of these events, 
this resolution urges Federal agencies, such as the Department of 
Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities, to sponsor 
conferences, seminars, and exhibits detailing this chapter of our 
Nation's history.
  Italian-Americans are proud and loyal Americans. The impact of this 
wartime experience has had a devastating impact on their communities. 
As we work for equality and justice in America today, we cannot ignore 
the mistakes of our past. Italian-Americans deserve to have their story 
told.

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