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Mexican-Americans in the 20 th Century

Mexican-Americans in the 20 th Century. “Mexican Repatriation”. Great Depression (1929-1939): anti-Mexican racism increased due to US unemployment “Mexican Repatriation” was an unofficial policy approved by President Hoover

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Mexican-Americans in the 20 th Century

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  1. Mexican-Americans in the 20th Century

  2. “Mexican Repatriation” • Great Depression (1929-1939): anti-Mexican racism increased due to US unemployment • “Mexican Repatriation” was an unofficial policy approved by President Hoover • Immigration and Naturalization Services targeted Mexicans, looking for illegal aliens • Over 500,000 illegal-immigrant Mexicans and Mexican-Americans US citizens returned to Mexico • California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan felt the greatest pressure Family from Montana forced to repatriate

  3. Bracero Program • During WW2, US needed agricultural and industrial labor • US had pressured 500,000 Mexicans to leave US during Depression • “Bracero” = manual laborer • “Guest worker program” from 1942-1964 • 4.5 Million border crossings for Mexican workers • Program guaranteed decent wages, housing, and health care • Illegal immigration also increased, as undocumented workers would work for less than guaranteed wages Mexican workers arrive in Los Angeles in 1942

  4. César Chávez • Born as a US citizen in Yuma, AZ • Worked as a migrant farm worker in CA • As young adult, began to organize farm workers to vote • Founded “National Farm Workers Association” which became “United Farm Workers” • Organized strikes by grape and lettuce workers, leading to higher pay • Chávez and UFW protested against Bracero Program because it lowered wages of American workers and left migrants unprotected (protesting illegals could easily be deported) • Supported amnesty piece of 1986 Immigration Reform Act

  5. Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 • Required employers to determine their employees' immigration status • Made it a crime to knowingly hire illegal immigrants • Granted amnesty to certain seasonal agricultural illegal immigrants. • Granted amnesty to illegal immigrants who entered the United States before January 1, 1982 and had resided in US continuously. • Signed by Reagan • Around 3 million people received amnesty President Reagan signing the act in 1986

  6. Mexican Immigration Today • 2008: 1.4 million Mexican immigrants in US • Mexicans are 30.1 percent of all US immigrants • 10% of all Mexicans live in US • Over half of all Mexican immigrants in US are undocumented

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