1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am writing you to voice my concern with the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport legal citizens and law abiding immigrants. This law was last used to intern 31,000 noncitizens of Japanese, German, and Italian descent during World War II, without due process and based mainly on their ancestry. The use of the Alien Enemies Act during WWII soon led directly to the incarceration of over 125,000 people of Japanese descent, 2/3rds of whom were United States citizens, also without due process. The Alien Enemies Act can be used against legal immigrants, and even permanent residents or green card holders without any evidence or even an accusation of wrongdoing. Simply being from a nation declared subject to the Alien Enemies Act is enough basis to be detained and deported. The enforcement of immigration law is important, but should not be sidestepped and overridden by inappropriate use of the Alien Enemies Act to violate the constitutional rights of anyone. I ask for your support in passing the Neighbors Not Enemies Act (H.R. 630/S. 193). As one of your constituents, I hope that you might cosponsor the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill to repeal the Alien Enemies Act. It has been almost 40 years since our government apologized to Japanese Americans for the injustice of WWII incarceration. Repealing the Alien Enemies Act is long overdue, and it is urgent that Congress take action to ensure people are not imprisoned or deported without evidence or proof of wrongdoing like Japanese Americans were unjustly imprisoned during WWII. Please support the Neighbors Not Enemies Act.