The Bracero Program

Abstract

The Bracero Program was, and continues to be, heavily criticized by immigrant and human rights groups as well as by labor organizations. Its demise can be linked, in part, with the 1962 founding of the United Farm Workers by Dolores Huerta and César Chávez and the activism of its predecessors, the National Farm Labor Union and the National Agricultural Workers Union. As recently as 2007, critics of President George W. Bush's immigration legislation proposals referred to the temporary guest worker provisions as a modern-day version of the Bracero Program.

Table of Content

Abstracti

Introduction1

Discussion1

Overview of the Bracero Program1

Broken Promises6

Sources of Conflict7

Conclusion11

Works Cited13

The Bracero Program

Introduction

In May of 1942 negotiations between Mexico and the United States looked to establish a labor agreement which would allow Mexican migrant labor to enjoy increased wages, while delivering much needed labor to the agricultural sector of the American Southwest (though workers would extend to 25 states across the country). The original agreement created a recruiting process in which both governments participated. Recruitment centers were located in Mexico. Officials from both governments selected Braceros after undergoing physical examinations and background checks, those selected were then sent to recruitment centers across the border at which point they would then be assigned to various Southwestern farmers.

Discussion

Overview of the Bracero Program

In regard to financial compensation, Braceros would be paid a “prevailing wage” and could only be contracted if a domestic labor shortage actually existed. In addition, were the presence of Braceros to cause an “adverse effect” on wages, then employers were not to be granted contracted migrant labor. At the same time, the United States government legally required contracting farmers to supply adequate housing, medical care and occupational insurance. The agreement promised that Braceros would not suffer from “discriminatory attacks”, as well guaranteeing transportation, living expenses, and repatriation of migrant employees in accordance with Article 29 of the Mexican Constitution. One of the great fears among the general Mexican public was that the United States might draft some men into the military, which the agreement nullified, promising no such action would be taken by the United States government.

While the program would undergo various alterations, it would be roughly maintained in the same way for 22 years with few interruptions except for the period from 1948 - 1951 when section 3 of the 1917 Immigration and Naturalization Act governed all labor transactions between the two nations. The end of World War II meant the U.S. government no longer saw a pressing need to regulate the labor agreement.

During this period, the United States government placed the responsibility of funding the transportation and repatriation of migrants on growers in the Southwest and other regions utilizing contracted labor. Additionally, the Department of Labor took over for the Department of Agriculture. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, United States growers declared a labor shortage once again, thus demanding a new agreement. So in 1951 the program was institutionalized under Public Law 78 (actually this was established under the Agricultural Act of 1949) and ...