How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.

President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents - less than one-tenth of today's force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.

[...]

In 1954, Ike appointed retired Gen. Joseph "Jumpin' Joe" Swing, a former West Point classmate and veteran of the 101st Airborne, as the new INS commissioner.

Influential politicians, including Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson (D) of Texas and Sen. Pat McCarran (D) of Nevada, favored open borders, and were dead set against strong border enforcement, Brownell said. But General Swing's close connections to the president shielded him - and the Border Patrol - from meddling by powerful political and corporate interests.

One of Swing's first decisive acts was to transfer certain entrenched immigration officials out of the border area to other regions of the country where their political connections with people such as Senator Johnson would have no effect.

Then on June 17, 1954, what was called "Operation Wetback" began. Because political resistance was lower in California and Arizona, the roundup of aliens began there. Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.

By mid-July, the crackdown extended northward into Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and eastward to Texas.

By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily.

Unlike today, Mexicans caught in the roundup were not simply released at the border, where they could easily reenter the US. To discourage their return, Swing arranged for buses and trains to take many aliens deep within Mexico before being set free.

Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships, the Emancipation and the Mercurio. The ships ferried the aliens from Port Isabel, Texas, to Vera Cruz, Mexico, more than 500 miles south.

The sea voyage was "a rough trip, and they did not like it," says Don Coppock, who worked his way up from Border Patrolman in 1941 to eventually head the Border Patrol from 1960 to 1973.

Mr. Coppock says he "cannot understand why [President] Bush let [today's] problem get away from him as it has. I guess it was his compassionate conservatism, and trying to please [Mexican President] Vincente Fox."

[...]

While Congress debates building a fence on the border, these veterans say other actions should have higher priority.

1. End the current practice of taking captured Mexican aliens to the border and releasing them. Instead, deport them deep into Mexico, where return to the US would be more costly.

2. Crack down hard on employers who hire illegals. Without jobs, the aliens won't come.

3. End "catch and release" for non-Mexican aliens. It is common for illegal migrants not from Mexico to be set free after their arrest if they promise to appear later before a judge. Few show up.

The Patrol veterans say enforcement could also be aided by a legalized guest- worker program that permits Mexicans to register in their country for temporary jobs in the US. Eisenhower's team ran such a program. It permitted up to 400,000 Mexicans a year to enter the US for various agriculture jobs that lasted for 12 to 52 weeks.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.htm

[Jasman0717 9]

Loved Dwight Eisenhower and he played golf!

[JoeMama 0]

Simple proven solution that worked before in the past. No reason why it couldn't work now.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Simple proven solution that worked before in the past. No reason why it couldn't work now.

Scale?

[pedroh 21]

article forgets to mention.. that also legal USC's who happened to be from hispanic descent got deported, just because they looked hispanic.. and they weren't just a few, it was a significant number of'em

[William33 110]

article forgets to mention.. that also legal USC's who happened to be from hispanic descent got deported, just because they looked hispanic.. and they weren't just a few, it was a significant number of'em

That's what ID is for.

[JoeMama 0]

Simple proven solution that worked before in the past. No reason why it couldn't work now.

Scale?

You speaking about fish now?

I know it's definitely a much large scale now considering the amount of people that have gotten in illegally. To even start this "round-up" process, it would take a fortune. End the war and put the money to better use of financing it.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

From PBS.ORG

Operation Wetback

In 1949 the Border Patrol seized nearly 280,000 illegal immigrants. By 1953, the numbers had grown to more than 865,000, and the U.S. government felt pressured to do something about the onslaught of immigration. What resulted was Operation Wetback, devised in 1954 under the supervision of new commissioner of the Immigration and Nationalization Service, Gen. Joseph Swing.

Swing oversaw the Border patrol, and organized state and local officials along with the police. The object of his intense border enforcement were "illegal aliens," but common practice of Operation Wetback focused on Mexicans in general. The police swarmed through Mexican American barrios throughout the southeastern states. Some Mexicans, fearful of the potential violence of this militarization, fled back south across the border. In 1954, the agents discovered over 1 million illegal immigrants.

In some cases, illegal immigrants were deported along with their American-born children, who were by law U.S. citizens. The agents used a wide brush in their criteria for interrogating potential aliens. They adopted the practice of stopping "Mexican-looking" citizens on the street and asking for identification. This practice incited and angered many U.S. citizens who were of Mexican American descent. Opponents in both the United States and Mexico complained of "police-state" methods, and Operation Wetback was abandoned.

[JoeMama 0]

Imagine calling it "Operation Wetback" these days? I can see the protests turning into complete and udder chaos.

[pedroh 21]

Imagine calling it "Operation Wetback" these days? I can see the protests turning into complete and udder chaos.

well yeah, do u realize it's a racial slur right..

[JoeMama 0]

Imagine calling it "Operation Wetback" these days? I can see the protests turning into complete and udder chaos.

well yeah, do u realize it's a racial slur right..

Absolutely pedroh. Me not dumb. I've been living in an agriculturial area for the last 30 years. I even know the racial slurs of my ethnic background. But I take those with a grain of salt. I know that I do not eat dog.

[pedroh 21]

"Eisenhower appointed General Joseph Swing as INS Commissioner, and Swing carried out Operation Wetback. It began in California and Arizona, with agents targeting agricultural areas. Their goal was to apprehend 1000 people per day, using 750 agents. Their methods included police sweeps of Mexican-American neighborhoods and random stops and ID checks for people who looked Mexican. Even some people who were in the U.S. legally were detained because of this racial profiling, and other legal immigrants were scared in to leaving because of these practices."

it happened back then, it'd happen now.. of course ICE and USCIS would racial profile every hispanic around... there's no way they can't 'bias-proof it'..

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Then on June 17, 1954, what was called "Operation Wetback" began. Because political resistance was lower in California and Arizona, the roundup of aliens began there. Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.

By mid-July, the crackdown extended northward into Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and eastward to Texas.

By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily.

These numbers kind of confirm what's been said here time and again. You start cracking down on them and more illegals than those that get caught actually take a hike themselves. Add to this a thorough crackdown on their enablers (fine businesses that hire them out of business and jail those that hire them) and I think we'd have a recipe for success.

Ah the days where politicians still had balls.

Edited June 11, 2007 by ET-US2004

[Heracles 417]

Ah the days where politicians still had balls.

Back then politicians where not as easily bought and sold. They also loved and believed in this country and it's people.

Whereas the US is now pretty much run by invested interests and lobbyist. Many in power are conveniently misusing the declaration of independence and constitution to push their own agendas rather than what is good for this country and it's people. Be it republican or democrat..

Edited June 11, 2007 by Infidel

[JoeMama 0]

We seriously need ballsy politicians back who truly believe in this country and it's people! Not in the amount of money that can grease their hairy palms!