Revisiting Operation Wetback
By Bob Small
Even many of us who follow American History may not be aware of the 1950’s “Operation Wetback”
The 1943 The Bracero Program was launched to provide temporary Mexican farm workers for US farms. After World War 2 ended both Mexico (needing workers for their farms) and the US (wanting work for their workers, including those returning from WW2) rethought the Bracero program. There were also the illegal Mexican immigrants working for American farms.
“The deportations were originally requested and assisted by the government of Mexico to prevent much-needed Mexican farm laborers from working in the United States.”
As to the term “Wetbacks” see Wetback (slur)
In 1954 Mexico sent 5,000 armed military to the border. President Eisenhower responded by sending fellow West Pointer and World War II General “Jumping Joe” Swing Joseph May Swing as INS Commissioner with orders to resolve the border crisis. Thus General Swing created Operation Wetback.
The total amount of persons deported is widely disputed. Parenthetically, there were numerous individuals who self-deported hearing about Operation Wetback.
According to the Texas Employment Commission Operation Wetback “ The United States Immigration Service, under pressure from various agricultural groups, retaliated against Mexico in 1951 by allowing thousands of immigrant workers to cross the border illegally, arresting them, and turning them over to the Texas Employment Commission, which delivered them to work for various grower groups in Texas and elsewhere. “
One of Swing’s first acts was the transfer of certain veteran immigration officials from the Border area to other areas where their strong connections with senators like Pat McCarran (Nevada) and Lyndon B. Johnson (Texas), who favored weak border enforcement would no longer hold sway.
Three recommendations were listed. To summarize; Deport captured Mexicans deep into Mexico, punish the employers who hire illegals, and end the “catch and release” program. This article included advice to then-President George W. Bush.
For another perspective, see The Militant from May 24th, 2010 U.S. capitalist owners need immigrant labor which reminded us of the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act which was also supposed to resolve this problem.
See also What Happened Last Time US Conducted Mass Deportations.
Revisiting Operation Wetback
