Consider three times in United States history during which people have been "detained."?

Question

1) The internment of the Japanese during World War II

2) The Mariel Boatlift, after which many Cuban refugees were placed in refugee camps.

(basic information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariel_Boatlift)

3) The incarceration of suspected terrorists following the events of September 11, 2001.

What are the similarities and differences between these three periods of detention?

Answer 1

You left one out. The military court-martial of U.S. civilians after the end of the Civil War and the murder of Abraham Lincoln.
The internment of the Japanese by way of Executive Order 6033 was held to be constitutional and lawful by the Supreme Court in 1944. The detention of certain Cuban refugees known to have criminal backgrounds and histories of mental disorders was in accordance with the immigration laws of the U.S. which prohibits entry of immigrants with such backgrounds. Those incarcerated in Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay are those who were first captured during military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan or were known to be members of Al Queda or similar Salafist Jihadist organizations. Since they did not wear distinctive uniforms, did not represent a recognized geo-political state, did not have a chain of command and did not brandish their weapons openly they are considered illegal combatants under the Law of Land Warfare (also known as the Geneva Conventions).

Answer 2

You left out the detention of enemy captured in all of the US wars.

You left out the detention of 'high value' enemy civilians during WWII.

You left out the detention of German spies during WWII.

People who think that what we are doing in Gitmo is either new or illegal need to read some history books.

Answer 3

You left out one. The Cherokees who had been living Georgia for millenias were incarcarated for a year without charge by the US government

Answer 4

The Salem witch trials?