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In the United States there were some American citizens of Japanese descent, particularly in California.  After the attack on Pearl Harbor, fear and distrust about Japanese Americans arose.  Rumors of surprise Japanese attacks on the west coast of the United States became common, and some American officials feared spying by Japanese Americans.  The loyalty of American citizens of Japanese descent was doubted.

In the United States there were some American citizens of Japanese descent, particularly in California.  After the attack on Pearl Harbor, fear and distrust about Japanese Americans arose.  Rumors of surprise Japanese attacks on the west coast of the United States became common, and some American officials feared spying by Japanese Americans.  The loyalty of American citizens of Japanese descent was doubted.

President Roosevelt, with the support of California Governor Earl Warren (who was later appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the 1950s), ordered that people of Japanese be forced to live in internment camps where they could be watched 24 hours a day.  These included American citizens who had been born in the United States (the "Nisei").  Their property was confiscated also.  Many of the internment camps were located away from the coasts in unfamiliar territories, such as near Indian reservations.  Overall, 110,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly moved to internment camps during the war.

President Roosevelt, with the support of California Governor Earl Warren (who was later appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the 1950s), ordered that people of Japanese be forced to live in internment camps where they could be watched 24 hours a day.  These included American citizens who had been born in the United States (the "Nisei").  Their property was confiscated also.  Many of the internment camps were located away from the coasts in unfamiliar territories, such as near Indian reservations.  Overall, 110,100 Japanese Americans were forcibly moved to internment camps during the war.

This policy constituted racial discrimination and some of the victims sued to stop it.  But the U.S. Supreme Court upheld this racial discrimination in Korematsu v. United States (1944).  Three dissented from this decision, which is considered one of the Court’s most embarrassing rulings.  In 1948 Congress enacted the Japanese American Evacuation Claims Act to compensate some of the victims for losing their homes and businesses.  In 1980, Congress held hearings to review some of the personal hardships, and issued a report in 1983 condemning President Roosevelt's removal order the Supreme Court decision.

This policy constituted racial discrimination and some of the victims sued to stop it.  But the U.S. Supreme Court upheld this racial discrimination in Korematsu v. United States (1944).  Three dissented from this decision, which is considered one of the Court’s most embarrassing rulings.  In 1948 Congress enacted the Japanese American Evacuation Claims Act to compensate some of the victims for losing their homes and businesses.  In 1980, Congress held hearings to review some of the personal hardships, and issued a report in 1983 condemning President Roosevelt's removal order the Supreme Court decision.