During World War II, the United States was in dire need of Mexico and its laborers. The Americans were at war and the labor was needed to supply the soldiers with food as well as to help keep the countries’ agriculture business going. As well, the Mexican government failed to provide many Mexican peasants who were skilled workers with the resources they needed to improve their lives following the Mexican Revolution of 1910. With this being said, by the late 1930’s, many crops in Mexico were insufficient, making those skilled workers look elsewhere for jobs. On August 4th, 1942, the United States and Mexico negotiated a temporary contract to allow Mexican guest workers into the United States. These agricultural and railroad labor contracts were intended to be short-term and terminated once World War II was over. However, after involving over 4.5 million people, it can be said that the longstanding effects of this program contributed to today’s illegal immigration from Mexico. By analyzing the different components involved with The Bracero Program, there will be a deeper understanding to how this intended short-term legal contract …show more content…
If the Bracero Program was followed more carefully and even had a replacement program, there is a slight chance that the immigration problems we are presented with today would not be a problem. The Bracero Program caused more harm than good; it helped create a common migration pattern of Mexican citizens coming to the United States for work, then returning home to Mexico to give their family money and live there for a while, but then ultimately returning to work some more and make more money, in many cases illegally. This is seen even today, and makes many professionals wonder if the Bracero Program was even worth it despite the agricultural success it
focuses on the nationalization of the United States Border Patrol during and after World War II. Due to the perceived threat of emigrants from any nation, Border Patrol resources were amplified and law enforcement personnel was diverted toward the Mexican and United States borderlands. With increased patrol of the borderlands, many Mexican migrants were unable to cross the border for seasonal work. This created a shortage of Mexican labor that United States agri-businessmen could not afford. The Bracero Program would serve as a binational program to manage the cross-border migration of Mexican laborers.
During the process of this research paper this semester sources we have been using different sources to create a strong argument and support my point of view regarding Mexican businessmen in El Paso. Among the sources we are using, primary and secondary, historian Mario T Garcia’s book, Dessert Immigrants: The Mexicans of El Paso, 1880-1920, is one of them, and most likely, the most important. The book was published on September 10, 1982. The book is an exceptional work dealing with details, statistics, and historical events related to the Mexican journey to the United States. In his book, Garcia spent an entire chapter talking about obreros y comerciantes (labors and merchants) and what their economic activities were in order to support their dream of getting enough money in the United States and come back to Mexico afterwards.
War creates all kinds of hardships on everyone involved whether it is overseas on the front line or right in our own backyard. During World War II one hardship faced in the United States was the lack of laborers to work the land and other taxing jobs here in the United States. The solution, bring migrant workers from Mexico to complete the work; otherwise known as the Bracero Program. What is the American and Mexican history leading up to the Bracero program? Were these workers paid fair, were they treated fair, and did they benefit in the long term?
While many remember the Great Depression as a time of terrible trials for Americans, few understand the hardships faced by Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the U.S. This paper examines the experiences of Mexicans in America during the Great Depression and explores the devastating impact of repatriation efforts. America has an extensive history of accepting Mexican workers when they are needed for cheap labor, and demanding that they be deported when the economic situation is more precarious in an attempt to open jobs for Americans. In the 1930s, “Americans, reeling from the economic disorientation of the depression, sought a convenient scapegoat. They found it in the Mexican community.” Mexicans were blamed for economic hardships and pushed to leave the United States because Americans believed they were taking jobs and draining charitable resources; however, few understood the negative repercussions of these actions. During the Great Depression, the push to strip jobs from Mexicans and repatriate them had the unintended consequences of adding more people to welfare rolls, contributed to labor shortages and forced out legal citizens of Mexican descent which created feelings of bitterness and rejection.
During the 20th century there were two important programs that contributed to the rapid growth of Mexican immigrants into the United States. These programs were the Bracero Program and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These programs have allowed Mexican immigration into the United States as well as growth in trade, therefore encouraging more migration into the United States. It is often overlooked that due to Mexican immigration, the agricultural economy in the the United States increased dramatically in the 20th century when these programs came into effect. Large-scale Mexican migration to the United States began in the early 20th century, motivated by the labor demands in the U.S. during World War II and the political unrest
Only half a century ago, in 1940 a majority of the Putlecan people were not content with the way their lives were being run, and were seeking solutions to their problems. Under President Porfirio Diaz the Putlecan people were offered a dramatic solution: the Bracero Program. The Bracero Program gave workers a new opportunity: migration. By migrating into either Mexico City or even the north, the United States, they hoped to find a more prosperous means of living. The program offered to thousands of Mexican workers the chance to work farms in the United States and get paid good wages. Unfortunately, it had its failings. As rewarding as the program may have seemed, it turned out to be anything other than what these people had hoped for. “Some did manage to save enough to build a home, but most had their illusions crushed by the hard work and the meager salaries paid. (Grimes 1998: 40-41)” Basically, the program was a way for the American employers to exploit Mexican workers and pay them little, so that they would wind up with the benefits instead of the workers. The program ended in 1964. This represented the first major wave of Putlecan migration of the 20th century.
Starting in the late nineteenth century until the end of World War II, the immigration policy in the United States experienced dramatic changes that altered the pace of immigration. High rates of immigration sparked adverse emotions and encouraged restrictive legislation and numerous bills in Congress advocated the suspension of immigration and the deportation of non-Americans (Wisconsin Historical Society). Mexican American history was shaped by several bills in Congress and efforts to deport all non-Americans from the United States. The United States was home to several Spanish-origin groups, prior to the Declaration of Independence. The term “Mexican American” was a label used to describe a number of Hispanic American groups that were diverse and distinct from each other (Healey). Between 1910 and 1930, Mexican’s immigrated to the Southwest regions of the United States and began to work as low paid, unskilled physical laborers. Mexican immigrants took jobs as migratory laborers or seasonal workers in mines or on commercial farms and ranches. These jobs resulted in isolation and physical immobility with little opportunity for economic success (Mitz). Mexican Americans were not alone in their struggle to adapt to mainstream America and fight racial discrimination in education, jobs, wages and politics.
The US Bracero Program, which was operational from 1942 to 1964, allowed for the importation of workers from Mexico to work on farms in the US. Although the objective of the program was to replace illegal labour with guest workers, critics argue that the program contributed to further illegal migration (Basok, 2000, p. 217). Critics say that the Bracero Program added to undocumented immigration via providing braceros with sufficient knowledge for permanent migration, establish contacts and relationships with Mexican-American communities in the US, as well as allowing braceros to improve their living standards, raising their overall expectations (Basok, 2000, p. 217-218). During the tenure of the Bracero program, five million Mexican workers were deported from the US; these workers included rejected Bracero program candidates and former braceros who failed to return to Mexico (Basok, 2000, p. 217). An important factor that contributed to the Bracero program based illegal migration was the nature of the recruitment process. With neoliberal ideology concerned with extrapolating the highest potential of profit, the US government preferred to recruit workers at the border for logistical reasons such as a reduction in transportation and fewer delays in hiring workers (Basok, 2000, p. 223). Even with the Mexican government recommending placing recruitment centres in impoverished states in the central regions of Mexico, the US still recruited workers at the border, ultimately leading to large numbers of unselected Mexican workers to cross the border illegally (Basok, 2000, p. 222-223). The US earned criticism from organized labour and social reform and human rights organizations. Many of these organizations outlined critical issues of the Bracero program such as growers not making an effort to recruit domestic
Telzrow, E, Michael. "The Story of Immigration in America." New American, The. 20 Feb. 2006: 33. eLibrary. Web. 19 May. 2014.
compromising over 15 percent of total immigration during that period” ( Chapter 8, The Mexican
Immigration is the process of entry of individuals into a new country (23). Throughout past centuries, immigration has been a means of discovery and exploration of new lands. In today’s culture, immigration to the United States is an avenue for individuals who wish to start new lives and take advantage of the capitalistic, entrepreneurial system. People from many countries have migrated into the United States. Most recently, the migrants have come from Central and South American countries. These Latin American countries influence America’s society culturally and economically through their language, traditions, and workforce. From the 1990s to the present time, immigration from Latin American countries has more than doubled. Mexico is one of the leading providers of immigrants to the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, 16.3 percent of our nation’s population consists primarily of people with Hispanic or Latino background (4) (This percentage does not include illegal immigrants). By understanding the background and development of immigration, the effects of immigration on the economy and culture, as well as, the different perspectives of Americans on immigration, one can begin to grasp the overall significance that Latin American immigration is having on America’s infrastructure.
Many would agree that immigration is a major issue in the United States and that immigration reform should be a priority. Throughout history, U.S. immigration has controlled the flow of immigrants through our borders. During the late 1800’s, immigration detention began at Ellis Island. It was only a short time after when the United States set up inspection stations at major ports of entries to restrict immigrants along the southern border. As America was expanding through the southwest, Cattle ranchers required vast amount of land to sustain large herds. It wasn’t until America entered the First World War when border control began to ease. As American man went off to Europe, the United States Government relaxed border
The United States was founded by immigrants; its whole culture consists of immigrant’s contribution to it along with their hard work and sacrifice. If it weren’t for Mexican immigrants the Mexican Americans, who were behind some of the major social movements of the 20th century, would not have been able to accomplish all that they did. Mexican American culture and politics was shaped by the three waves of migration after and during World War I, World War II, and the Cold War which created new identities, social movements, and migration laws.
Two months after this, 1,500 braceros were sent to Stockton, California, and here they worked in sugar beet fields. In the original agreement, one of the demands of Mexico was to not Include Texas in the program, because in the past workers were treated very poorly there. In May 1943, about 2,000 Mexicans joined at the border in El Paso and the INS let them in illegally then they were contracted as braceros. Over time, more and more people came legally and illegally. Braceros ended up working in twenty-four states. Most of them were in California and some ended up in the Northwest like Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Here they planted and harvested vegetables and sugar beets, and picked cotton and fruits. After being in the U.S. for so long, they began to learn our way of life and slowly became used to it. The Bracero Program ultimately led to the not so temporary stay of documented and even more undocumented immigrants. Soon they branched out of agriculture and found themselves doing other minimum wage jobs. Later in 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), as an attempt to gain control over the still rising number of immigrants. This increased border control and gave a one-time amnesty for the immigrants that were undocumented that had been in the country since 1982. About 3.3 million of them were legalized under IRCA. This made wives and their kids want to join and once again migration increased. By the 1990s families were attempting to permanently stay all over
In this essay I will discuss the social, economic and political reasons of the negative and positive impacts of Mexican migration on the USA and Mexico. In this case, the source country, is Mexico and the host country is America. The US has a long history of immigration. Since the 1850s till now many Mexicans have illegally crossed the US border by swimming across the Rio Grande ,attempting to cross the Arizona desert or hiding in coaches in desperate search of, the major push factor, the American dream. The American dream can be summed up as an opportunity to become wealthier and the ability to achieve everything. Furthermore the US has been described as ‘the land of opportunity’ as in 2010 ,340 out of 100,000 adults launched a new business each month. However economist estimates that Mexico’s GDP will grow twice as fast as the US in the upcoming year.