Search the WWII Alien Enemy Detention and Internment Case Files Index
About the DOJ Records
The records of the Department of Justice (DOJ) include case files that document the DOJ's role in controlling alien enemies during WWII. The files include the arrest and internment of Japanese, Germans, and Italians already targeted by the FBI and military intelligence agencies, and document the procedures and reviews for their detention.
What you will find in these records:
These case files generally document administrative proceedings for the release, parole, or internment of alien enemies. The files may include Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports, pleadings submitted to Federal court, agency administrative or investigative files, agency and public correspondence, newspaper clippings, and transcripts of Alien Enemy Board Hearings.
In the alphabetical index to the DOJ case files, you will find the person's:
- name
- alias
- date of birth
- address
- case file number
- dates of salient actions
- remarks on the internees case
Read more about the records of the DOJ
(Click on the Title for a description)
Search for the person using the National Archives Catalog
To look for RG 60 descriptions online:
Go to the National Archives Catalog.
National Archives Catalog
Result 1: You Find the Individual
If you find your person, click on the link and you will see the details for the record. You may want to print this out or write down their name and case file number. Next, go to the How to Order page to learn how to contact the Civilian Reference Branch in College Park, MD, for copies of the case file.
Result 2: Not found
For some people, you will get a screen that says "No search results have been found in response to your search criteria." In this case, you should double check the spelling of the name and try again. If no records are found, contact the Civilian Reference Branch.
Example
To illustrate this search, we will look for an individual in our online catalog who we think should be in the Enemy Alien Detention files.
We will look for Choichi Ito:
- Go to the National Archives Catalog
- Type in Choichi Ito
- A listing comes up for Choichi Ito, so click on the link for details.
If you find this for the person you are looking for, you may want to print it out or write down the person's name and Variant Control Number (the Agency-Assigned Identifier).
Next, go to the How to Order page to learn how to contact the Civilian Reference Branch in College Park, MD, for copies of the case file.
If you want to determine whether or not the family you are looking for sued for reparations or if they testified, proceed to learn how to search the index to the redress case files, and public hearings and testimonies.
You may also wish to review the additional resources listed on What You Can Do Next .