Why were thousands of Japanese-Americans interned during World War 2?

Thousands of Japanese-Americans were interned during World War II primarily due to widespread fear and suspicion following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The U.S. government, influenced by racial prejudice and concerns about loyalty to Japan, deemed Japanese-Americans a potential security threat, despite the absence of evidence supporting such fears. As a result, approximately 120,000 individuals, many of whom were U.S. citizens, were forcibly relocated to internment camps under Executive Order 9066. This decision has since been recognized as a grave injustice and a violation of civil liberties.