Borderland Issues History of Borderland issues Current issues and politics that surround the border Further reading

What is the borderland? Today the US Mexico border covers 2000 miles encompassing four US and six Mexican states. Borderland culture has become almost a culture in itself.

History: Establishing the Border 1819: U.S & Spain define border 1821: Mexico gains independence from Spain 1846: U.S. declares war on Mexico to settle Texas, which has claimed independence from Mexico.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848 For $15 million and a few promises the U.S. gets California, Arizona, Nevada, parts of Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico & Texas Residents of the acquired territory are guaranteed citizenship, property rights, civil rights, education and protection under the U.S. law Except not really. When ratified, the article is removed

Post-treaty Anti-Mexican sentiment Texas & New Mexico: Mexican residents are restricted from voting California passes “Greaser laws” Most residents lose their land California Land Claims Act fails in part to economic hardships, which make claims difficult to determine & enforce

1855 Greaser Act Defined vagrants as “all persons who [were] commonly known as ‘Greasers’ or the issue of Spanish or Indian blood” Intended to keep Hispanics from owning mines and provided another justification for expropriation of American Hispanic lands

1851 California Land Claims Act Provided that claims to all lands in California be presented within two years of the date of the act Many people didn’t know the requirements and therefore lost their land

Wait! Come back! Fun in the 1880s Anti-Asian sentiment stronger than anti-Mexican Chinese Exclusion Act passed Mexican railroad workers recruited 1904: First border patrol established to keep Asian immigrants from entering through the U.S./Mexico border

1882 Chinese Exclusion Act Climax to more than 30 years of progressive racism Suspended Chinese immigration for ten years and declared Chinese ineligible for naturalization

Just Kidding! Get out! 1910: Mexican Revolution Thousands flee Mexico to enter the U.S.

Baby, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Come back. 1920: First defacto bracero program recruits Mexican agricultural workers 1921: Agricultural lobbyists seek to include Mexicans among the list of restricted immigrants to the U.S. 1924: largest recruitment of Mexican workers ever 89,000 immigrants given permanent visas Concept of “illegal immigrant” emerges for the first time

Woah, woah, woah. I said “Come back.” I didn’t say, “Stay.” The Depression hits Visas denied Deportations begin Border stations established Tax collected on people crossing the border

1931 Lemon Grove Lemon Grove local school board built a separate 2-room barn-like facility for Mexican pupils across the tracks in the barrio 2nd-hand equipment, books and supplies Parents voted to boycott school and seek legal redress Board members argued school meant to meet needs of non-English-speaking children Judge ordered “immediate reinstatement” to old school

But I need you. Come home. World War II: A labor crisis 1942: Bracero Program established Workers granted legal residency in the U.S. Millions of Mexican citizens “imported”

I have tired of you. Get out. War ends, U.S. citizens return, Mexican workers deported Labor shortage. 1951: Bracero program revived 1953: Operation Wetback 1960s: Bracero Program ends

1954 Operation Wetback Repatriation project of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service to remove illegal Mexican immigrants (“wetbacks”) from the Southwest Operation trailed off in the fall of the same year due to lack of funds after the apprehension and deportation of thousands of illegal aliens

1972 Brown Berets Brown Berets, a youth organization, took over Catalina Island off the Southern coast of California to symbolize their fight to protect the civil property rights of Mexicans in the Southwest

The economy informs notions of race. Border Industrialization Program “Twin Plant” assembly program Maquiladoras 1982: Devaluation of Mexican currency makes relocation of American businesses to Mexico an attractive option

NAFTA: We love to hate you. Economic incentives make borderlands an attractive location for employment Increase in Mexican residents in borderlands causes increase in border patrol Fences established, English only laws passed The culture war continues

Current Border Issues “The Wall of Embarrassment”/ the Mexican American Border The Mexican media calls the border the “wall of embarrassment” because they believe it is embarrassing to Americans. How many people has the wall and militarized border budget kept out?

Current Borderland Issues Minutemen Project started by conservative Americans to control immigration using their own means. Propelled by Homeland Security issues, post 9/11 Minutemen website

Current Borderland Issues Healthcare The controversy occurs in the US because many people believe that no one should be turned away from a hospital for an illness. In many states propositions have been passed that make it illegal for doctors to treat undocumented immigrants. More information What do you think?

Related Links Now let’s rhetorically analyze A Rational Approach to Immigration Post- Sept. 11: Vigilante Justice The 15 Second Men

Further Exploration Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko The Border (documentary) by PBS The Salt of the Earth (film) by Herbert Biberman Act & Resist (Web site)

Credits Director Bethany Hunter Executive Producer Robert Carlson Key Grip Katherine Tierney Editor Megan Mock Hair and Make-up Robert Carlson Best Posture Anna Van Dyke Who would win in a fight Megan Mock