The Bracero Program Applied to Immigration Today

After the United States entered World War II, the U.S. government and the Mexican government formed an agreement that allowed Mexican laborers to work on farms in the Unites States for short periods of time before returning to Mexico. The U.S. growers needed someone to replace the men off fighting as soldiers in Europe. The Mexican workers wanted the opportunity to better provide for their families and earn money for their futures. Under this agreement, which extended until 1962, Mexican workers accepted over 4.5 million contracts to work on U.S. agricultural sites and railroads. The Bracero Program demonstrates a time when the U.S. government believed its country would benefit from the labor migration of Mexican workers. Despite the original possibility of strong advantages, many people remember the Bracero Program as a negative piece of U.S. history. During the execution of the Bracero Program, many braceros were forced to deal with exploitation and discrimination at the hands of U.S. citizens. A study of the Bracero Program demonstrates both the difficulties and the potential benefits of a guest labor program in the U.S.