Bill on WWII Treatment Clears House
Italian Americans suffered widespread violations of their civil liberties during World War II, and it is time for the president to acknowledge those injustices, the House declared in legislation passed Wednesday.
The legislation, approved by a voice vote, also directs the Justice Department to put together a comprehensive report detailing unjust treatment of Italian Americans during the war, when the United States and Italy were enemies.
Mistreatment of Japanese Americans during the war has been well documented, but discrimination against Italian Americans is “largely absent from the American history books,” said Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
The U.S. government classified 600,000 Italian Americans as enemy aliens, restricting them to within five miles of their homes and forcing them to carry photo IDs. Many were also subject to strict curfews.
The measure still must be considered by the Senate.
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