California has filed a lawsuit over a federal decision to close the National Archives in San Bruno.
The National Archives and Records Administration announced plans to shut down the facility earlier this year to save costs and reduce its physical footprint.
But Save Our National Archives, a coalition of nonprofits, which includes historians, genealogists and archivists, are concerned about the closure of the facility. It has files that are more than 175 years old, including ones on Japanese-American internment, as well as court and genealogical records.
"The facility contains some of the largest numbers of records and artifacts connected to immigration through Angel Island," said Edward Tepporn executive director of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation.
"Over 1 million immigrants were either processed or detained there," Tepporn said. "And that’s why it’s even more important to ensure that these records, these artifacts connected to Angel Island remain here in the Bay Area closer to where that history happened."
On Oct. 14, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit to try to prevent the closure. His office claims that the move was made without community input and violates the federal Administrative Procedure Act.
Federal lawmakers are also working to stop the closure, including local Representative Kevin Mullin. In August, Mullin introduced the National Archives Protection Act, which would prevent the closure of National Archives facilities without Congressional approval.
