Matsui Statement on Japanese American DAY of Remembrance

February 19, 2026 Press Release SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) released the following statement on Japanese American Day of Remembrance, the 84 th anniversary of the date in 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 – leading to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. “Today, on Japanese American Day of Remembrance, we reflect on the injustice that incarcerated over 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. This history is deeply personal to me. My own parents were incarcerated in Poston, Arizona, where they met, married, and where I was born. Families were torn from their communities and entire lives were placed on hold—not because of anything they had done, but solely because of who they were. This grave injustice did not happen overnight—it happened because fear was allowed to override facts, prejudice replaced due process, and too many leaders acceded to institutionalized racism and acted on it. “We remember today not only to honor those who endured, but to reaffirm our responsibility to ensure it never happens again. That responsibility is especially urgent right now. We are living in a moment when fear is once again being used to divide, when entire communities are being scapegoated and dehumanized, and civil liberties feel increasingly fragile. History teaches us exactly where this path can lead—that silence carries consequences, and that this moment demands more than reflection. It demands courage. “Democracy is not automatic. Civil rights are not self-sustaining. Justice does not defend itself. On Day of Remembrance, we recommit ourselves to telling the truth about our past, protecting the dignity of every person, and standing up when we see injustice in any form. Remembrance carries responsibility. May we honor this history not just with words, but with vigilance, accountability, and action.” # # #