The first migrant workers: A Look at History

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Undocumented Migrant Laborers in the United States

The majority of migrant laborers living and working in the United States are undocumented. To understand why they have become undocumented and why they continue to cross the border to meet the demand for workers, I provide information here on the Bracero Program, undocumented immigrant statistics, and INS regulations. All of these factors impact migrant laborers in the US

One of the most influential programs that brought short term laborers from Mexico and increased undocumented immigration was the Bracero Program. The program was initiated in 1943 during the "wartime emergency" to supply agricultural labor in the Southwest and it lasted until 1964 (DeSipio 1995: 66). The program introduced a pattern of seasonal migrant labor among Mexican laborers and has affects lasting beyond its termination. Some Braceros gained legal status through the application process and others returned seasonally to an employer. This type of migratory work is evident in the new immigration of today.

The Bracero Program was an attempt to regulate seasonal migration. In the 1950s and early 1960s the INS realized that it was not able to control undocumented immigration and began to take a closer look at possible administrative efforts. The Bracero Program was implemented to give temporary work authorization to any undocumented Mexican immigrants in the country (DeSipio 1995:66). When the Bracero Program ended the INS faced numerous problems. The program created a dependency for agricultural employers on Mexican labor because they faced no legal obstacles contracting undocumented workers. Mexican laborers became accustomed to migrating seasonally to the US and began to settle. Further, the failure of the INS to regulate immigration from Mexico became an issue of national concern. The Bracero Program is, however, important because of it being the first attempt to deal comprehensively with undocumented immigration.

The popular concern about immigration began in the 1970s and continues to today. Several studies conducted in the 1980s offer an aggregate number and undocumented immigrant origins and settlement patterns. In 1980 there was an estimated number between 3.5 and 6 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, and about half were estimated to be Mexican. A disproportionate number are in the labor force in the United States. By 1986 there may have been approximately 4 million undocumented workers, comprising 4% of the US labor force (Chiswick 1982: 2).

The total number of undocumented immigrants residing in the United States in October of 1996 was estimated by the INS to be 5 million, (See Table 3), with a range of about 4.6 to 5.4 million (INS Web). The estimates imply that the population grew by approximately 275,000 annually during the period of 1992-96. This is about the same as the annual growth of 281,000 estimated for the previous period. The undocumented immigrant population grows at varying degrees from year to year. The overall level of growth was fairly consistent during the 1990s. INS reports are indicating a decline in undocumented immigration but have no statistics to confirm this yet.

Undocumented immigration is continuing to grow and methods to address it are increasing. In the 1990s the INS increased funding of the Border Patrol and is currently creating a wall that is intended to stretch from Tijuana to Brownsville. The first strategy, which was implemented in El Paso, was to "close" the border in areas of high undocumented entry (DeSipio 1995:74). The new approach is to police the border to deter crossing before it happens. This approach has created a war on the border that is resulting in an average of one death per day.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries distributes a pamphlet, in English and Spanish, to migrant and temporary workers informing them of their rights:

The United States government regulates the corner that jornaleros gather on with INS laws. The INS works at times with local police to enforce federal regulations. The enforcement of INS law on the corners has resulted in some unfortunate abuses. The INS is now learning that raiding is not a solution for a population of laborers who are in demand and continue to frequent the corners regardless of laws.

http://www.lclark.edu/~soan221/01wlc/MigrantWorker/history.htm