THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                        (Monterey, California)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      June 12, 1998

                        STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
                 ON ADDRESSING THE WRONGFUL INTERNMENT OF
                   LATIN AMERICANS OF JAPANESE DESCENT

I am pleased that the Department of Justice has reached a settlement that will compensate Latin Americans of Japanese ancestry for their wrongful internment during World War II. The United States Government forcibly brought these individuals to the United States from their homes in Latin America during the war, and interned them with U.S. citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry.

Through the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, our nation offered redress to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who suffered serious injustice. This settlement addresses the injustice endured by Japanese Latin Americans who were interned.

Payments for this settlement will come from the fund established by the Civil Liberties Act. If the fund proves insufficient, I will work with the Congress to enact legislation appropriating the necessary resources to ensure that all eligible claimants can obtain the compensation provided by this settlement.

# # #