The Mexican Bracero Program

The Bracero Program completely changed the way American s viewed migrant Mexicans. Implemented in 1942, because of the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement between the United States and Mexico, the Bracero Program stood as a way for Mexicans to gain employment in the United States, typically through agricultural jobs. Those who participated were assured adequate living conditions and thirty cents per hour minimum wage. It allowed for the agricultural industry to grow substantially, as Mexicans worked for cheaper wages than their American counterparts. The laborers typically lived in small labor camps close to or on the properties they worked. Furthermore, the program stands as the most extensive foreign labor program in United States history. Working as a Bracero, however, proves to be far more strenuous and unforgiving than the government agreement made it seem. Living as a Bracero means not seeing one’s family for months
Even though they had to continually evade arrest, many workers found themselves perfectly hirable in agricultural work, as the “big foreman” never really questioned their citizenship. The farming industry seems to only be concerned with getting the job done, so they obviously always hired workers, regardless of their status. Furthermore, many Mexican citizens saw America as a way to gain a better life for their families. In conclusion, the Bracero program offered, on paper, a dazzling opportunity for those living in Mexico. It allowed those who qualified to safely and legally cross the border in order to find decent employment, while also earning a decent living. However, the reality of the program reflects the United States’ harsh treatment and outlook on Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and immigrants in general, and helped contribute to the idea that Mexicans are “illegal