Contemporary Immigration Issues US History 4/25/12

The Bracero Program Since end of Civil War, growers depended on migrant workers to pick crops in Southwest and California During WWII, lack of migrant workers since so many had been drafted as soldiers or now working in wartime factories Bracero Program--started by US and Mexican governments to allow Mexicans to come to US temporarily to pick crops and perform other manual labor 4 million Mexicans participated in program until its end in 1964

Bracero Program ctnd. When contract done, braceros returned to Mexico, although many stayed undocumented and worked as migrant workers Farm owners supported program because source of cheap labor Civil Rights workers in 1960s began to protest ways migrant workers treated

Mexican Immigration 1950s--Millions of Mexicans began immigrating to US Most came legally, some without documents More came to California than any other state Today, Latinos are the largest minority group in US, will eventually be majority population in CA Most live in cities, but still some migrant workers Increase in Latino immigration has increased number of Catholics in US 

Changes to Immigration Policy Before 1920--US had relaxed immigration policy, relatively easy to come Except exclusion of Chinese 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act In 1920s, immigration quotas--limited number of immigrants from each country National Origins Act Especially restricted immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, virtually no Asians allowed

President Johnson and Immigration Reform Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 Quotas no longer by country, but by hemisphere Refugees and immigrants with special job skills given preference Made it easier for immigrants from Asia and Latin America to come to US Number of immigrants from these regions has dramatically increased since 1960s!

Recent Immigration Reforms Laws passed in 1980s to discourage employers from hiring undocumented immigrants Did give amnesty to some undocumented people In 1990s, increased quotas again, letting more immigrants in, but continued to get stricter against undocumented immigrants Debate over immigration and issue of undocumented immigrants continues today