Anti-immigrant rhetoric like the one displayed by different presidential candidates these days is not new to our country. Decades ago, it was worse. By far.
There was a time when words actually turned into aggressive action.
Many still don't know that under the guise of "American Jobs for Real Americans" and touting it as a panacea to end the high unemployment caused by the Depression, President Herbert Hoover and the federal government launched an aggressive anti-immigrant campaign together with local governments to "repatriate" people of Mexican descent, forcibly deporting scores of individuals.
Although the exact number of Mexican Americans expelled from the U.S. is disputed and perhaps may be never known, most scholars put it at around 1 million.
This week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors joined the state of California - which addressed this in 2006 - in issuing a formal apology to victims of the "Mexican Repatriation."
"United States citizens and legal residents were separated from their families and country and were deprived of their livelihood and United States Constitutional rights, and many were never reunited with their families,†said Board Supervisor Gloria Molina to Los Angeles CBS Local, “Regrettably, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors participated in these efforts.â€
According to historians Francisco E. Balderrama and Raymond Rodriguez, authors of “Decade of Betrayal: Mexican repatriation in the 1930sâ€: “Los Angeles became the hotbed of the repatriation movement. Whether Mexicans were employed or unemployed, they were targeted by the Los Angeles County repatriation campaign.â€
California alone drove nearly 400,000 people across the border. A commemorative plaque honoring victims will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Plaza de Cultura y Artes this Sunday.
The federal government has never apologized.
THE NATION'S HARSHEST ANTI-IMMIGRATION LAWS:
The Template: California Proposition 187 (1994)
California's Proposition 187 was submitted to the voters with the full support of then Republican governor Pete Wilson. It essentially blamed undocumented immigrants for the poor performance of the state economy in the early 1990s. The law called for cutting off benefits to undocumented immigrants: prohibiting their access to health care, public education, and other social services in California. It also required state authorities to report anyone who they suspected was undocumented.
<strong>Status:</strong> The law passed with the support of 55 percent of the voters in 1994 but declared unconstitutional 1997. The law was killed in 1999 when a new governor, Democrat Gray Davis, refused to appeal a judicial decision that struck down most of the law. Even though short-lived, the legislation paved the way for harsher immigration laws to come. On the other hand, the strong reaction from the Hispanic community and immigration advocates propelled a drive for naturalization of legal residents and created as many as one million new voters.
The Worst: Arizona SB 1070
The Arizona Act made it a misdemeanor for an undocumented immigrant to be within the state lines of Arizona without legal documents allowing their presence in the U.S. This law has been widely criticized as xenophobic and for encouraging racial profiling. It requires state authorities to inquire about an individual's immigration status during an arrest when there is "reasonable suspicion" that the individual is undocumented. The law would allow police to detain anyone who they believe was in the country illegally.
<strong>Status:</strong> The law was signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on April 23, 2010. But it has generated a swirl of controversy and questions about its constitutionality. A federal judge issued a ruling that blocked what critics saw as some of the law's harshest provisions.
House: 35-31 (4/12/2011)
Following Arizona's Footsteps: Georgia HB 87
The controversy over Arizona's immigration law was followed by heated debate over Georgia's own law. HB 87 required government agencies and private companies to check the immigration status of applicants. This law also limited some government benefits to people who could prove their legal status.
<strong>Status:</strong> Although a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the law considered too extreme, it went into effect on July 1st. 2011.
House: 113-56
Senate: 39-17
This bill, which was approved in 2010, bans contractors and subcontractors employ undocumented workers from having state construction contracts. The bill also protects employees who report construction sites that hire illegal workers. To ensure that contractors hire legal workers, the law requires employers to use the identification verification system E-verify, based on a compilation of legally issued Social Security numbers.
<strong>Status:</strong> Approved on June 8th 2010.
House: 188-6 (07/08/2010)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/donkeyhotey/" target="_hplink">Flickr photo by DonkeyHotey</a>
A Spin Off of Arizona: Utah HB 497
Many states tried to emulate Arizona's SB 1070 law. However, most state legislatures voted against the proposals. Utah's legislature managed to approve an immigration law based on a different argument. Taking into consideration the criticism of racial profiling in Arizona, Utah required ID cards for "guest workers" and their families. In order to get such a card workers must pay a fee and have clean records. The fees go up to $2,500 for immigrants who entered the country illegally and $1,000 for immigrants who entered the country legally but were not complying with federal immigration law, <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/06/nation/la-na-illegal-immigration-20110306" target="_hplink">according to the LA Times.</a>
<strong>Status: </strong> Law went into effect on 03/15/2011
House: 59-15 (03/04/2011)
Senate: 22-5 (03/04/2011)
The Most Comprehensive: Florida HB-1C
Florida's immigration law prohibits any restrictions on the enforcement of federal immigration law. It makes it unlawful for undocumented immigrants within the state to apply for work or work as an independent contractor. It forbids employers from hiring immigrants if they are aware of their illegal status and requires work applicants to go through the E-verify system in order to check their Social Security number.
<strong>Status: </strong>effective since October 1st, 2010
The Hot Seat: Alabama HB 56
The new immigration law in Alabama is considered the toughest in the land, even harder than Arizona's SB 1070.
It prohibits law enforcement officers from releasing an arrested person before his or her immigration status is determined. It does not allow undocumented immigrants to receive any state benefit, and prohibits them from enrolling in public colleges, applying for work or soliciting work in a public space. The law also prohibits landlords from renting property to undocumented immigrants, and employers from hiring them. It requires residents to prove they are citizens before they become eligible to vote. The law asked every school in the state to submit an annual report with the number of presumed undocumented students, but this part, along with others, were suspended by federal courts.
<strong>Status:</strong> Approved June 2nd, 2011
House: 73-28 (04/05/2011)
Senate: 23-11 (05/05/2011)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/longislandwins/" target="_hplink">Flickr photo by longislandwins</a>
Anti-immigrant rhetoric like the one displayed by different presidential candidates these days is not new to our country. Decades ago, it was worse. By far.
There was a time when words actually tu...
Anti-immigrant rhetoric like the one displayed by different presidential candidates these days is not new to our country. Decades ago, it was worse. By far.
There was a time when words actually tu...
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration set a new record for deportations, removing nearly 400,000 undocumented immigrants in the last fiscal year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement...
WASHINGTON -- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano admitted on Wednesday that there had been major missteps in rolling out Secure Communities, a much-criticized immigration enforcement...
The Los Angeles County board of supervisors does not represent the citizens of Los Angeles County. We do not feel this way and do not support this "apology". Those people do not represent us.
Seastink: The Los Angeles County board of supervisors does not represent
My family has been in California before there was a California. My ancestors helped with the building of the mission in Carmel. We have seen every wave of immigration into this geography of the world including the European horde after the gold rush and world war ll. This part of the world has been inhabited by brown people for thousands of years. It has experience times of harmony between European immigrants and Native people. Yet those times are always accompanied by times of disharmony. My family was effected during one of these waves of discontent which this article pertains to. When speaking with my Father and Grandfather the amount of fear which gripped the Latino communities during this time was appalling. If you were brown in California citizenship did not matter. You could either risk being picked up in a police sweep and separated from your family or self deport with your family. It was an intentional fear tactic used by the FBI and Police. I think the apology is overdue but does not matter if attitudes do not change. And by the comments on this post it appears many have not. However fortunately for California in the next few years European census projections will stabilize at about 20%. The European domination will be over. At that percentage as I use to be told it is nice you have an opinion but it doesn't really matter.
Have a nice day
El_Californio: My family has been in California before there was a
I could support this under the following conditions:
1. Those individuals that actually enforced the deportation and are still alive make personal apologies
2. The apology is made to ONLY those individuals that were deported
3. Any and all others that are decedents, family, friends neighbors, Facebook friends, clerks in a nearby store etc. shut up and make no comment.
4. If it didn't happen to you, you have nothing to say and have no reason to seek/need and apology.
If offered, this should be an apology between the effected individuals and not an excuse for …..?
Amnesty
The Dream Act
Issuing driver’s licenses
Or any other such nonsense that many others want to tag on to and claim some sort of compensation.
timesrtough: I could support this under the following conditions: 1. Those
Very convenient conditions. Most of those who survived being dumped in the Sonora desert without water or food (estimates are around 23% did not) are mostly dead today. Get your head out of your rear!
antonioarganda: Very convenient conditions. Most of those who survived being dumped
Given the open border that existed at that time, they all came back rather quickly if they wanted to. On the CA border they did not even have to get their shoes wet. Also it was part Mexico's fault for accepting them without verification that they were in fact Mexican citizens. SO BOTH Mexico and LA should apologize.
randyjet: Given the open border that existed at that time, they
Where do you get your erroneous information that you blurt out as fact? There were no open borders in this country; nothing as romantic as that fairy tale you are spinning. You certainly don't know the history of the USA and its horrid immigration history towards all non-Northern Europeans. Here's a history lesson for you in regards to the illegal and forced removal of 1.2 Million American citizens and legal residents and the apology signed under California Senate Bill 670: http://descendantofgods.tripod.com/id125.html
AND http://www1.appstate.edu/~stefanov/proceedings/rodriguez.htm
AND NO, Mexico owes no apology on this one; it's all on the US.
CrestedSparrow: Where do you get your erroneous information that you blurt
I do not doubt that many US citizens were included in the deportations, but back then the border was basically FAR more open than it is today, and since over 12 million have entered illegally, it sure hasn't stopped them today.
Mexico is very much at fault since it simply let in those folks who were not Mexican citizens, and indeed may have been American. Mexico did NOT have to let them enter, and I go to Mexico on a regular basis and I have to PROVE to them who I am and my citizenship. To simply act as a reciever of doubtful immigrants is THEIR fault too. Mexico DOES owe them an apology for acting in such a callous manner and not checking the IDs of those who were brought to them.
randyjet: I do not doubt that many US citizens were included
You obviously have not read about this at all since the Mexican consular officials were on scene and were part of the process. They most certainly had a choice since they could refuse to admit those who were NOT Mexican citizens. Just as the US can and DOES refuse to take non-US citizens. You obviously have never heard of the Mariel boatlift from Cuba. Cuba has refused to even take back THEIR OWN citizens. So to say Mexico had no choice is ABSURD!
randyjet: You obviously have not read about this at all since
Thanks for the apology L.A but unfortunately people are still wrongly deported every single day in this country and the anti-immigrant rhetoric is still just as strong. In fact there are people trying to change the 14th Amendment and take U.S citizenship away from Latinos who were born here. People think most white people aren't as racist anymore but that's not true, a lot of them are still racist, it's just directed at Latinos now instead of blacks. Latinos are the new blacks when it comes to discrimination in our country and that's a real shame because we should all just get along.
luz2409: Thanks for the apology L.A but unfortunately people are still
Cases in which U.S. citizens are deported are so rare than each case makes national headlines. In a recent case, a 15-year old Dallas girl who claimed to be an illegal immigrant was deported to Colombia. However, she could have stopped the deportation simply by telling the police her real identity. I think more people are wrongfully convicted of murder than wrongfully deported. Changing the birthright citizenship clause 14th amendment wouldn't take citizenship away from Latinos since the change wouldn't be retroactive.
BlairCase: Cases in which U.S. citizens are deported are so rare
It's not discrimination if they shouldn't be here, it's justice. If the people deported didn't have documents to prove birth or status, why is anyone apologizing?
special38x2: It's not discrimination if they shouldn't be here, it's justice.
"Seldom discussed in general history courses, advocates have been fighting for years for recognition of this chapter in U.S. history by the government."
I wonder if those "advocates" will fight to make sure that history documents the millions of illegal immigrants that are here now, and are continuing to come.
Old_Grady: "Seldom discussed in general history courses, advocates have been fighting
That's because LA is a pro illegal alien sanctuary city. Which encourages law breaking and theft of American benefits. LA's police chief said yesterday, why not give illegal aliens driver licenses, we can not stop them from driving. He waved the white flag of surrender very high, how can he keep his job?
What's wrong with sending people back to the country of their birth if they do not have a right to be here? There will never be a shortage of illegal aliens to deport.
spytheweb: That's because LA is a pro illegal alien sanctuary city. Which encourages
The most authoratative sources place the number of people “repatriated†between 1929 and 1939 at about 500,000 with 25,000 being U.S. citizens. These numbers or based on Department de Migracion de Mexico figures. An estimated 488,000 illegal aliens are believed to have left voluntarily, for fear of being apprehended. So, the total number was probably around one million. Some of the U.S. citizens "volunteered" for deportation because they were offered jobs in Mexico and told they would be taken off welfare roles in the United States as they declined. The number of actual deportations works out to about 50,000 a year, a fraction of the number now deported each year.
BlairCase: The most authoratative sources place the number of people “repatriatedâ€
President Herbert Hoover threw 1/2 million American folks of Mexican ancestry out of the country during the depression years. My parents both Tejanos with deep roots in the Lone Star state told me that they were fearful of being thrown out of the country but that never occurred.
Although thrown out of the country of their birth by President Hoover, during World War II President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked for these Americans now living in Mexico to come home to America and to enlist in the military and to fight for our Great Nation. Despite being humiliated by America their country of birth these brave men did not give President Roosevelt's request a second thought and went off to war. Eighteen received the Congressional Medal of Honor for service during WWII.
SuperMex
US Army
4th Infantry Division
Vietnam
1965-1968
SuperMex: President Herbert Hoover threw 1/2 million American folks of Mexican
Thirteen Mexican-American soldiers were awarded Medal of Honor during World War II. Not one of them were repatriated from Mexico to fight in World War II. Eleven were born in the United States. Two were born in Mexico, but moved to the United States when they were small children.
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First Posted: 02/23/2012 10:49 am Updated: 02/23/2012 10:58 am