Essay on Bracero Program - 692 Words

The Bracero Program The Bracero Program was a temporary contract labor program initiated in 1942 by the United States and Mexico. Designed originally to bring a experienced Mexican agricultural laborers to harvest sugar beets in Stockton, California, but soon spread to most of the United States and to the railroad industry. Although the railroad program ended in 1945, after World War II the agricultural program continued until 1964. Originally, the program was designed to protect the illegal migrant workers against the exploitation by American farmers. However, it was criticized and was viewed as a failure from the humanitarian point of view. Workers in the Bracero Program continued to face struggles with the United States and†¦show more content†¦The United States wielded the power of negotiations with both the Mexican government and the Mexican people. Mexico lost all real bargaining power in the 1950’s. Along with opposition from Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the United States det ermined that the program was no longer vital to the American’s; it discontinued the program in 1964. Chavez and Huerta fought the program because it undermined American workers and exploited the migrant workers. Nothing says it more obvious than the account from Walt Edwards (as cited in Dillin, 2006), When we caught illegal aliens on farms and ranches, the farmer or rancher would often call and complain [to officials in El Paso]. And depending on how politically connected they were, there would be political intervention. That is how we got into this mess we are in now. (Dillin, John, 2006) By the end of the program, farm labor unions began to form which eventually led to the abolishment of laws stating it was illegal to organize farm labor. This lead the way to the grape strikes in California and the boycotts in stores, lead by Filipino farm workers. After the first strike several various organizations began to form and led similar movements around the country. Through the 1 960s to the 1980s, Cesar Chavez was a major inspiration to such movements and organizations. One of the most notable protests was when Chavez and the UFW marched from the Coachella Valley to the MexicanShow MoreRelatedThe Bracero Program2140 Words   |  9 PagesThe Bracero Program The extraordinary Mexican migration that delivered millions of immigrants to the United States over the past century is one difficult to ignore. At times the border did not exist, however in more recent times the US has created policies to curb Mexican migration into the states. The relationship the US has with it’s southern neighbor has always been a complicated one. Both countries have a relationship like no other two countries in this world, in which depending on the time periodRead MoreLiterature Review : Wage Suppression / Bracero Program1424 Words   |  6 PagesElsa Gomez Pena Professor Murshid POSC 349B 02 November 2015 Literature Review: Wage Suppression/Bracero Program In a capitalist society, profit maximization is the primary concern of firms and corporations. Because wages are a deduction from profit, one often reads in our texts and other articles inspired by Marx that wage can never be low enough for capital. These kind of statements are supported by empirical evidence, in particular, by various companies’ and economic policy makers’ major effortsRead MoreThe Bracero Program Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesThe Bracero Program 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 workersRead MoreThe Benefits Of Mexican Government Essay1945 Words   |  8 Pagesinitial concerns. After the signing of his agreement the recruitment stations were created. The braceros were recruited in Ciudad Juarez across from El Paso, Texas. The recruitment sites became crowded of Mexicans who were unemployed and wanted to go to the U.S. to work. Although the braceros that were chosen were those who had agricultural experience many other Mexicans who were unable to obtain a bracero permit bribed the official s into selecting them. Many individuals who were not able to obtainRead More Cesar Chavez: A Great Organizer and Leader Essays2055 Words   |  9 Pagesprevious to 1964 were often unsuccessful because of the Bracero program that was implemented by both the United States and Mexican governments. Farm owners encouraged this program because of labor shortages during wartime, but by the 1950’s the Bracero workers were being used to undercut wages and break strikes by the migrant workers. This caused migrant workers to keep a low profile because anyone who went on strike could be replaced by a Bracero (Tajada-Flores). Cesar Chavez was an advocate of nonviolenceRead MoreIllegal Immigration And The H2a Program1811 Words   |  8 PagesIWA Illegal Immigration and The H2A Program Since the first human civilization, cheap, exploitable labor has been inherent to the economic system. This was illustrated in The Life of Peasants, one of the provided stimulus materials, in which it was accepted that providing for the upper classes was â€Å"the obligation of the servile class†. Ergo, the US can trace its history through the various exploited labor systems, starting with our dependance on indentured servants, to slavery, to our current relianceRead MoreAmerica, The Rules And Regulations Around The H 2a Program2376 Words   |  10 PagesAmerica, the rules and regulations around the H-2A program, or lack thereof, have profound economic and social impact on the U.S. agricultural labor force as a whole. The H-2A program is an important non-immigration program. Even though some research suggests there is not a nationwide shortage of domestic farm labor, considerable evidence suggests that this research finding is distorted by the presence of illegal farm workers.3 Seasonal shortage in certain agricultural states pose a serious threatRead MoreBracero Movement1324 Words   |  6 PagesSteinaker 1 Sydney Steinaker Professor Chicano Studies 24 January 2012 Bracero Movement The United States always has a way of blaming Chicano people for the rising unemployment rates, when in reality the United States is the one who wanted Chicano people to work. After World War II the United States needed more manual labor which then provoked the emergence of countless Mexicans into the U.S.. They were known as Braceros, which were Mexican laborers that were allowed into the United States forRead MoreMexican Immigration And The United States1676 Words   |  7 Pagesagricultural economy in the United Stats continued to develop across the country. The second wave of immigrant influx occurred during 1942 to 1964, with the introduction of the Bracero Program, recognized as the first governmental action taken to regulate Mexican immigration into the United States. (Zong Batalova, 2014) The word â€Å"Bracero† was a term coined to the migrant workers, describing â€Å"strong-armed men† from the Spanish word â€Å"brazo† which translates to â€Å"arm.† Although this act was seemingly portrayedRead MoreThe Mexican Revolutionary War On America845 Words   |  4 Pagesthat created the Bracero Program. (?) This program contracted experienced workers to work only temporarily in the United States, leaving their families behind in order to get ahead in life and be able to provide for their families. Despite past events in Mexican immigration 4.6 millions of Mexicans still came to America through the Bracero Program between 1942 and 1964, this helped out the United States economy tremendously. As stated by Kelly Lytle Hernandez â€Å"the Bracero Program within the context