Not a New Phenomenon

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/multimedia/photos/59660532.html?c=y&page=7

Most people are not aware of the presence of migrant workers in our communities and thus, they are unaware of their experiences and the work they contribute to the U.S. economy. The truth is migrant workers are not a new phenomenon in the United States. In fact, our country has been employing immigrants and has relied on their labor for years. The Bracero Program was created in 1942 that relied on Mexican workers. The program was created for the purpose of filling a domestic labor shortage during America’s involvement in World War II (Morgan, 127). It was a bilateral agreement between the United States and Mexico to bring Mexican men to the United States to work as temporary workers in the fields and railroads. They encouraged by both governments of the United States and Mexico to take the temporary jobs and thousands participated. In fact, during the 22 years that the program was in place, between 4 and 6 million Mexican workers came to the U.S. to work. Under the original agreement of the Bracero Program, the contract was between the worker and the United States government (Morgan, 129). Specifically, it was the Department of Labor that administered the program and required that the workers were paid at least minimum wage. The workers were also to be provided with other benefits under the contract, such as housing and transportation. Although many men came to escape poverty, it was evident that they were a source of cheap labor for the United States. It has been known that the government withheld 10% of the workers pay, which was deducted out of their paychecks as a way of enforced savings. It was believed that this money would be returned to the workers once they returned to Mexico. However, to this day the braceros are still waiting to see their earned money (FVIE).

Although the program was implemented to fill a labor shortage during World War II in the United States, it underwent many changes to keep a flow of Mexican workers coming. Under Public Law 78, the workers no longer contracted with U.S. government, but rather with the growers directly. According to Morgan, “the U.S. was not responsible for contract fulfillment, a minimum hourly wage was not set, and no unemployment payment was available” (Morgan, 130). Since the braceros were no longer contracted with the government, it was the responsibility of the farmers/growers to follow regulations. However, with this grower-worker contract, the working conditions of the braceros greatly deteriorated. In a documentary produced by CBS entitled, “Harvest of Shame”, the horrible working conditions of migrant workers were revealed to the American public. Reactions were strong and the concern for migrant workers in the United States led to the descent of the Bracero Program in the 1960’s. Though it is not to say that migrant workers stopped coming to the United States to work. Migrants continue to travel to and throughout the United states for work, and it is important to understand that not all migrant workers are “illegal” or citizens outside of the United States. Many are in fact U.S. citizens.

Morgan, Kristi L. "Evaluating Guest Worker Programs in the U.S.: A Comparison of the Bracero Program and President Bush's Proposed Immigration reform Plan." Berkeley La Raza Law Journal (2004): 125-44. Print.

Los Braceros: Strong Arms to Aide the U.S. Prod. Corita Gravitt. KVIE Public            Television.<http://www.kvie.org/programs/kvie/viewfinder/braceros/default.htm>.