KERA's Think The wartime justification of deportations
Nov 20, 2025
Qian Julie Wang, managing partner at Gottlieb & Wang LLP and civil rights advocate, delves into the ongoing relevance of the Alien Enemies Act. She uncovers how this 18th-century law allowed for the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII and is now being invoked for deportations today. Wang highlights the case of Fred Korematsu and discusses alarming trends in racial profiling and wrongful deportations. She emphasizes the need for vigilance in protecting civil liberties, reminding us that what happens to one group can impact all.
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Four Early Laws, One Survives
- The Alien and Sedition Acts were four separate laws passed in 1798 targeting immigrants and dissenters.
- Qian Julie Wang highlights that the Alien Enemies Act is the only one still active and remains dangerous in modern use.
Naturalization Centralized And Lengthened
- The Naturalization Act moved citizenship control to the federal government and extended residency requirements to 14 years.
- Wang notes this reflected fear of 'imported foreign values' and tightened who could become American.
Japanese American Internment Immediate And Wide
- Within hours of Pearl Harbor, the government began rounding up people of Japanese descent and invoking the Alien Enemies Act.
- Over 122,000 people, many U.S. citizens, were interned without evidence of espionage or sabotage, Wang says.
