Ex parte Endo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ex parte Endo |
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| Argued October 12, 1944 Decided December 18, 1944 |
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| Full case name | Ex parte Mitsuye Endo |
| Citations | 323 U.S. 283 (more)
65 S. Ct. 208; 89 L. Ed. 243; 1944 U.S. LEXIS 1
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| Holding | |
| The government cannot detain a citizen without charge when the government itself concedes she is loyal to the United States. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Douglas, joined by unanimous |
| Concurrence | Murphy |
| Concurrence | Roberts |
Ex parte Mitsuye Endo was a very important Supreme Court case decided on December 18, 1944. The Court ruled that the U.S. government could not keep a citizen in a detention camp if that person was clearly loyal to the United States. This decision helped Japanese Americans return to their homes on the West Coast. They had been held in camps across the U.S. during World War II.
Contents
What Was the Ex parte Endo Case About?
During World War II, many people of Japanese descent were forced to leave their homes. They were sent to special camps far from the West Coast. This happened even if they were U.S. citizens. The government worried about their loyalty during the war.
Who Was Mitsuye Endo?
Mitsuye Endo was a young woman who worked as a clerk in California. She was a U.S. citizen of Japanese ancestry. In 1942, she was sent to a detention camp in Utah. She was known to be completely loyal to the United States. She had no criminal charges against her.
The Supreme Court's Decision
Mitsuye Endo's lawyers argued that her detention was wrong. They said the government had no right to hold a loyal citizen without a charge. The Supreme Court agreed with her. All nine judges voted the same way. They said the government could not hold a citizen if they were loyal.
The Court's decision did not say if it was right to exclude Japanese Americans from the West Coast. That was a different issue. But the Endo ruling meant that loyal citizens could not be held in camps.
What Happened After the Ruling?
The Roosevelt administration knew the Court's decision was coming. So, the day before the ruling was made public, they made an announcement. They said that Japanese Americans could start returning to the West Coast in January 1945. This decision helped many people finally go home.
