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Operation Wetback: Mass Deportation To Mexico During The Cold War
+++++Operation Wetback was a 1953-1954 combined Border Patrol, Army and Navy operation along with local sheriffs, county officials, and police, all over the Southwest and in the cities of the Midwest as well.+++++ +++++Operation Wetback resulted in the sudden deportation of 1.3 million Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. This 8500-word (34 page) survey describes the origins of Operation Wetback, and places it in historical perspective.
- GenresAmerican History
34 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2023
Unfortunately, Cunningham repeats the common errors in descriptions of the 1953-54 to 1954-55 Operation. A more accurate description can be found in the book by the historian Kelly Lytle Hernández (2010, Migra! A History of the U.S. Border Patrol).
The short of it is that we do not accurately know how many migrants were actually deported.
The historiography conflates several factors: the Operation took place in approximately two months; scholars fail to distinguish the two fiscal years involved, and thus report the calendar year 1954 as if the government data was being reported by calendar year, rather than the actual reporting by fiscal year; scholars also fail to distinguish the workplace raids that took place in the 1953-1954 fiscal year prior to the Operation, and the Operation that was implemented in 1954-1955 fiscal year. Lastly, the multiple internet sources and scholarship that report on the Operation, assume that the individuals located/apprehended were actually deported. The process was more complicated. INS implemented a policy that allowed undocumented “specials” to remain in the US—this means that migrants were located, but those migrants whom their employers labeled “specials” were allowed to remain, they were not deported. Though we do not know exactly how many migrants were allowed to stay because they were labeled “specials.” This means that procedurally they were identified/apprehended, but not deported. Most of the specials were involved in operating farm machinery. Secondly, in Texas, INS in essence converted most of the apprehended undocumented Mexican migrants into contract laborers (who are commonly labeled “braceros”); thus, the migrants identified/apprehended were allowed to remain—i.e., they were not deported. In the end, we do not know the exact number who were actually deported under the Operation.
The short of it is that we do not accurately know how many migrants were actually deported.
The historiography conflates several factors: the Operation took place in approximately two months; scholars fail to distinguish the two fiscal years involved, and thus report the calendar year 1954 as if the government data was being reported by calendar year, rather than the actual reporting by fiscal year; scholars also fail to distinguish the workplace raids that took place in the 1953-1954 fiscal year prior to the Operation, and the Operation that was implemented in 1954-1955 fiscal year. Lastly, the multiple internet sources and scholarship that report on the Operation, assume that the individuals located/apprehended were actually deported. The process was more complicated. INS implemented a policy that allowed undocumented “specials” to remain in the US—this means that migrants were located, but those migrants whom their employers labeled “specials” were allowed to remain, they were not deported. Though we do not know exactly how many migrants were allowed to stay because they were labeled “specials.” This means that procedurally they were identified/apprehended, but not deported. Most of the specials were involved in operating farm machinery. Secondly, in Texas, INS in essence converted most of the apprehended undocumented Mexican migrants into contract laborers (who are commonly labeled “braceros”); thus, the migrants identified/apprehended were allowed to remain—i.e., they were not deported. In the end, we do not know the exact number who were actually deported under the Operation.
September 19, 2020
Important History
Questions about immigration policy & interested in learning about President Eisenhower. Had heard about Operation Wetback during Eisenhower's administration. This essay provided a great deal of information about the mass deportation of Mexican-Americans, immigrants alike as well as the Farm Unions & prior treatment of the Mexican in the U.S.
Questions about immigration policy & interested in learning about President Eisenhower. Had heard about Operation Wetback during Eisenhower's administration. This essay provided a great deal of information about the mass deportation of Mexican-Americans, immigrants alike as well as the Farm Unions & prior treatment of the Mexican in the U.S.
February 4, 2017
This 2017 ebook is a clear survey of a 1953-1954 mass deportation of Mexican and Mexican-American men, women and children from the U.S. It is very well written: I now understand the background to that event: Cold War; racism; low pay for seasonal farm workers; end of Korean War and return of GIs; agreements between U.S. and Mexican government. I recommend this book highly, because there is talk of a 2017 repeat of "Operation Wetback."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews