Mexican immigration to the United States, throughout history, has been a controversial issue. The border between the two countries has been closed and reopened due to a number of things. The Mexican work force was critical in developing the economy and prosperity of the United States. The Mexican workers in numerous accounts were regarded as strong and efficient. As well, they were willing to work for low wages, in working conditions that were questionably humane. On the other hand, Mexican immigrants brought negative effects not only on the United States, but on Mexico as well. By looking at the history of immigration from Mexico, the flip flop from side to side of this controversy is seen.
First of all what is immigration? It is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, either temporarily or permanently. Immigration means "in-migration" into a country, and is the reverse of emigration, or "out-migration."
Secondly, why the reason for immigration? For the most part, immigration occurs for economic reasons of one sort or another. Wage rates and living expenses vary greatly between different countries. Poor individuals of third world countries can have far higher standards of living in developed countries. Also, financially independent and not very well off people from highly developed countries can live better in a less developed country where living standards are lower. Mexican immigrants are examples of poor individuals who want a far higher standard of living, as in the United States. For the poor in Mexico the economic pressure to migrate is so high that when legal means are restricted, people immigrate illegally.
Now back to the history of immigration from Mexico to the United States. Back in the 1850's and 1880's, fifty-five thousand Mexican workers immigrated to the United States to work in fields that were in regions that had belonged to Mexico. The institution of Mexican workers in the United States was well established at this time in commercial agriculture, the mining industry, light industry and the railroad. The working conditions and salaries of the Mexicans were poor.
The presence of Mexican workers in American started with the construction of the railroad between Mexico and the U.S. That presence grew between 1880 and 1890. As much as 60 percent of the railway working crews were Mexican.
A few years later, in 1910, the Mexican Revolution occurred. After the revolution, their government was unable to improve the lives of its citizens. By the late 1930s, the crop fields in Mexico were harvesting smaller and smaller bounties, and employment became scarce. Mexican's started looking to the U.S. for survival. Another reason why immigration started to grow was World War I. Mexican workers came and worked in the industry and service fields, working in trades such as machinists, mechanics, painters and plumbers. These years were ripe with employment opportunities for Mexicans because much of the U.S. labor force was overseas fighting the war.
Agencies in Mexico recruited for the railway and agriculture industries in the United States. In order to leave for the United States, immigrants had to sign a contract made in 1920 by the Mexican government, which guaranteed Mexican workers certain rights named in the Mexican Political Constitution. The contract demanded that U.S. ranchers allow workers to bring their families along during the period of the contract. No worker was allowed to leave for the United States without a contract, signed by an immigration official, which stated the rate of pay, work schedule, place of employment and other similar conditions. Thus, this became the first de facto Bracero Program between the two countries.
A few years later in 1924, the U.S. Border Patrol was created. At first, the Mexican workers did not realize the significant impact this event would have on their lives. People did not immediately view Mexicans as "illegal aliens," but the law now stated that undocumented workers were fugitives. When the Border Patrol was implemented, the definition "illegal alien" is born.
Another measure of control was imposed on the Mexican immigrant workers during the depression: visas were denied to all Mexicans who failed to prove they had secure employment in the United States. The Mexicans who were deported under this act were warned that if they came back to the United States, they would be considered outlaws.
It seemed whenever the United States found a reason to close the door on Mexican immigration, a historic event would force them to reopen that door. Such was the case when the United States entered World War II. In 1942, the United States was heading to war with part of Europe. Labor workers from all areas of United States industry poured into those efforts which supported the war. Also in that year, the United States signed the Bracero Treaty which reopened the floodgates for legal immigration of Mexican laborers. Between the period of 1942 and 1964, millions of Mexicans were imported into the U.S. as "braceros" under the Bracero Program to work temporarily on contract to United States growers and ranchers.
The braceros were experienced farm workers who left their own lands and families chasing a rumor of economic boom in the United States. The braceros were allowed to return to their native lands only in case of emergency, and required written permission from their employer. When the contracts expired, the braceros were mandated to hand over their permits and return to Mexico. The braceros in the United States were busy thinning sugar beets, picking cucumbers and tomatoes and weeding and picking cotton.
At the end of World War II, Mexican workers were driven out from their jobs by workers coming out of wartime industries and by returning servicemen. By 1947, the Emergency Farm Labor Service was working on decreasing the amount of Mexican labor imported. By the 1960s, an overflow of "illegal" agricultural workers along with the invention of the mechanical cotton harvester, diminished the practicality and appeal of the bracero program. These events brought the program to an end in 1964.
History of Mexican-Americans. (2006). In Wikipedia; The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 5, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mexican-Americans
Huntington, S. P. (2000). Reconsidering Immigration; Is Mexico a Special Case? Retrieved April 5, 2006, fromhttp://www.cis.org/articles/2000/back1100.html
Mexican Immigration. " BookRags. Retrieved April 5, 2006, from http://www.bookrags.com/history/multiculturalism