United States and Mexico 1942-1964

Synopsis

The Bracero program was a series of agreements between the government of the United States and Mexico signed between 1942 and 1964. The name of the program comes from the Spanish word brazo, or arm. The program started during World War II, when there was a labor shortage in the United States. The U.S. government signed an agreement with the Mexican government to bring in Mexican workers for temporary employment mainly in the agricultural sector.

The two countries renewed the agreement several times in the postwar era, although not without some dispute. The Mexican government wanted more control over wage rates. The United States responded with an "open border policy," in which the government did not attempt to stop illegal immigration. In response, Mexico attempted to prevent its workers from crossing the border into the United States, even sending in the...