Day of Remembrance and protecting our neighbors from bigotry

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. That order resulted in 120,000 Japanese Americans and people of Japanese descent being sent to incarceration camps. They received no trials, were convicted of no crimes, and were held in camps for up to four years because of where their ancestors originated from, and the color of their skin. Earlier this week we spent time on the House floor reflecting on this injustice and its impact.

This year, we have seen similar forms of discrimination from our federal government. People have been denied entry to the U.S., detained unnecessarily, and even targeted because of where they come from. People live in fear of persecution over what they look like or how they worship.

All three branches of the federal government failed to uphold the constitutionally-protected rights of so many during World War II. House and Senate Democrats in Washington state remember those who faced unfair and unconstitutional treatment. We are standing up for those treated unfairly today.

This week, House Democrats continued to speak out against hate. I joined my colleagues at a press conference to publicly announce newly proposed legislation that I strongly support. Rep. Stanford introduced HB 2097, which prohibits state agencies from sharing personal information about religious affiliation with federal authorities. Rep. Ortiz-Self introduced HB 1988 and HB 2029. HB 1988 creates the Vulnerable Youth Guardianship proceeding, which allows the courts to appoint a guardian for certain immigrant youth between the ages of 18 and 21 who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. Often, these youth are victims of human trafficking or other types of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. This bill helps provide a support network and resources for these victims. HB 2029 provides a hotline for immigration resources, and helps agencies track incidences of harassment throughout the state.

It is hard to believe that our communities need these laws. Unfortunately, they do. We have seen an increase in hurtful rhetoric by federal officials, and an increase in organized hate groups. As elected officials, our job is to protect our neighbors. These bills do exactly that.

Regardless of attempts to sow fear and doubt in our fellow Americans, Washington House Democrats are standing up to actions that are contrary to our values.

Remembering the mistakes of our past gives us the strength to stand up to the injustices we face today.

Thank you,