Bonus: Korematsu, Then and Now
Summary
This Amicus Plus episode revisits a 2021 interview with Judge Edward Chen and attorney Don Tamaki regarding the legal team that cleared Fred Korematsu’s name. They expose how the U.S. government suppressed intelligence reports proving Japanese Americans posed no threat to justify WWII internment in Korematsu v. United States. The discussion highlights the Supreme Court’s failure to scrutinize these lies and draws parallels to recent cases like Trump v. Hawaii, warning of the enduring danger of unchecked executive power and racial profiling.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Revisiting the Korematsu case and its modern relevance
Historical context: Racism, exclusion acts, and General DeWitt's false claims
The legal path to internment and the lived experience of incarceration
The government cover-up: Suppressing intelligence reports and evidence
Supreme Court failure: Judicial deference and racial stereotyping
Correcting the record: The writ of coram nobis and reopening the case
Judicial responsibility: The court's role as guardian of civil rights
Modern parallels: The Muslim ban case and the legacy of Korematsu
Conclusion: Truth, reconciliation, and the enduring power of the courts
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