Most Sansei were born during the Baby Boom after the end of World War II. Older Sansei who were living in the western United States during WWII were forcibly interned with their parents and grandparents (Issei Japanese Americans) after the issuance of Executive Order 9066.
The Sansei played a leading activist role in a redress movement, which culminated in a bill signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 which provided an official apology and $20,000 restitution for each of the 60,000 survivors (about half of the total internees).