JACL Applauds State of California Lawsuit to Keep Archives Open
October 15, 2026
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Carol Kawase, VP of Public Affairs, ckawase@jacl.org
Matthew Weisbly, JACL National Education Programs Manager - LA Office, mweisbly@jacl.org
JACL commends the State of California’s lawsuit challenging the planned closure of the National Archives at San Francisco in San Bruno, filed on October 14th, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. After a long-fought community effort headed by SONA Coalition (Save our National Archives), JACL values CA Attorney General Rob Bonta's recognition of the imminent danger of losing national archive access.
The lawsuit names the State of California, represented by Attorney General Bonta, as the plaintiff, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and Acting Archivist Bradford Wilson, in his official capacity, as its two defendants. It argues that the decision to relocate its holdings and close the facility violates the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to consider public access concerns and the interests of all affected communities.
As detailed in the initial complaint and the State of California Department of Justice’s press release, these archives preserve irreplaceable records documenting immigration and naturalization, such as those from Angel Island, as well as the experiences of Japanese American incarceration, including records of Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu’s landmark legal case.
This is just one important step in a multi-pronged approach to preserving the archives. Last week, JACL published our action alert calling for cosponsorship of H.R. 10131, the National Archives Protection Act. In the following days, Senators Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Alex Padilla, and Adam Schiff introduced a companion bill in the Senate. We encourage our members to take action by calling on their Members of Congress to endorse the bill.
Our history must remain accessible to communities whose stories these records preserve. JACL applauds Attorney General Bonta for protecting public access and ensuring that future generations can research, understand, and reckon with our nation’s history.
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The Japanese American Citizens League is a national organization whose ongoing mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote cultural, educational, and social values and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.
