JACL Statement on Supreme Court Rulings Concluding Temporary Protections and Allowing Asylum Seekers to Be Turned Away
June 25, 2026
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Matthew Weisbly, Education Programs/Communications Manager, mweisbly@jacl.org
Seia Watanabe, VP of Public Affairs, swatanabe@jacl.org
Policy Fellows: Matthew Marumoto and Katie Masano Hill, policy@jacl.org
The words engraved on the Statue of Liberty state, “ Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” Today’s Supreme Court decisions have contradicted this engraved promise, an iconic and eternal symbol of the American people that has come to define our kindness and acceptance of others. Instead, it has created conditions around acceptance and allowed outright denial to those seeking safety and refuge.
JACL is disappointed in the Supreme Court’s rulings in both the Mullin v. Doe and Mullin v. Al Otro Lado cases. Our organization was founded on protecting civil rights and respect for each other's cultures, traditions, and values. We believe that it's these differences, these struggles, that make America great. Despite these rulings, our own struggles have shown that the American people will persevere, demonstrating that we are a welcoming country and will stand by what is carved onto the great statue of Lady Liberty.
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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.
