1. 1948-1952

2. Migrant farm laborers are people who travel to a location where there is a job available. After the work is finished (usually a planting/harvest season), the migrant farm laborer returns to their home. (This is usually a different country).

3. Migrant farm workers and their families were not always legal. Wages dropped, American workers could not make a living. Small farm owners could not compete with large farm owners who employed cheap labor. Labor shortages existed on farms. Farmers needed employees to plant and harvest crops. Living conditions for migrant workers were deplorable. Poor food and medical care were provided.

7. Investigations of living conditions were conducted to solve farm based problems for workers and their families who lived with them on the farms. Deportation of illegal immigrants started. 127,000 illegal immigrants were formerly deported, 3.2 million volunteered to leave (according to factcheck.org) President Truman approved legislation to allow the flow of legal Mexican migrant workers to come to US to work.

9. From 1948-1950 small farmers, large farm owners, and worker’s unions petitioned President Truman to solve the migrant farm labor issue. June 3, 1950: Presidential Commission was held to listen to information. July 13, 1951: Legislation approved

10. Legislation was signed that allowed an agreement with Mexico to be made. This allowed legal migrant workers from Mexico to come to the United States to work. This law had to be renewed every two years until it became unpopular in the 1960s.

11. The United States has dealt with illegal immigration for decades. The problem has increased over the years with an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now working in the US compared to 3 million in the late 1940s, early 1950s.