VIDEO: Hirono, Omar Reintroduce Neighbors Not Enemies Act to Repeal 18th Century Xenophobic Law

~ Video of Sen. Hirono’s remarks at the presser can be foundhere~
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) re-introduced theNeighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that would repeal the antiquatedAlien Enemies Act (AEA) of 1798, which has been used to target innocent immigrants based on nothing more than national origin, without affording due process rights. Senator Hirono and Representative Omarheld a press conferencetoday to announce the reintroduction of this bill.
President Trump has mentioned the AEA by name as part of his plans for mass deportation, most recently mentioning the AEA in an Executive Order designating cartels and other organizations as foreign terrorist organizations.
“In his war on immigrants, Donald Trump has made clear that he will stop at nothing to carry out mass deportations, including invoking the archaic, little knownAlien Enemies Act of 1798,”said Senator Hirono.“TheNeighbors Not Enemies Actwould finally repeal this draconian, xenophobic law to prevent immigrants from being deported without basic due process. Even though Trump insists that he is targeting ‘foreign gangs’ and ‘criminal networks,’ we know that the deportations won’t end there. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Representative Omar, as we reaffirm our commitment to continue doing everything we can to protect immigrant communities across the country.”
In 1798, President John Adams signed the “Alien and Sedition Acts” which was comprised of four bills targeting immigrants under the guise of war. The original four bills included: TheNaturalization Act; theAlien Friends Act; theSedition Act; and theAlien Enemies Act. Today, theAliens Enemies Actis the only one that remains in effect.
In the Senate, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The full text of the legislation is availablehere. Video of Senator Hirono’s remarks at the presser is availablehere.
Senator Hirono is a leading champion in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform and continues to advocate on behalf of immigrant communities in Hawaii and across the country. In December 2024, Senator Hirono and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)introducedtheReuniting Families Act,legislation that would promote family unity in our country’s immigration system, reduce the family-based immigration backlogs, and update our laws to reflect how families immigrate to the United States. The bill also includes Senator Hirono’sFilipino Veterans Family Reunification Act,legislationthat would speed up the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans. In June 2024, Senator Hirono and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) led their colleagues inintroducingtheAdoptee Citizenship Act of 2024, which would grant U.S. citizenship to international adoptees who were legally adopted in the U.S. as children but lack citizenship status due to a loophole in theChild Citizenship Act of 2000. In May 2024, Senator Hirono joined her colleagues insendinga letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), urging them to phase out the use of private detention centers, and close four facilities with well-documented inhumane conditions.
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