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Borderland Issues History of Borderland
issues Current issues and
politics that surround the border
Further reading
What is the borderland? Today the US Mexico border covers 2000
miles encompassing four US and six Mexican states.
Borderland culture has become almost a culture in itself.
History: Establishing the Border
1819: U.S & Spain define border1821: Mexico gains independence from Spain1846: U.S. declares war on Mexico to settle Texas, which has claimed independence from Mexico.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848 For $15 million and a few promises the U.S.
gets California, Arizona, Nevada, parts of Colorado,
Nevada, New Mexico & Texas Residents of the acquired territory are
guaranteed citizenship, property rights, civil rights, education and protection under the U.S. law
Except not really. When ratified, the article is removed
Post-treaty Anti-Mexican sentiment
Texas & New Mexico: Mexican residents are restricted from voting
California passes “Greaser laws” Most residents lose their land
California Land Claims Act fails in part to economic hardships, which make claims difficult to determine & enforce
1855 Greaser Act Defined vagrants as “all persons who
[were] commonly known as ‘Greasers’ or the issue of Spanish or Indian blood”
Intended to keep Hispanics from owning mines and provided another justification for expropriation of American Hispanic lands
1851 California Land Claims Act Provided that claims to all lands in
California be presented within two years of the date of the act
Many people didn’t know the requirements and therefore lost their land
Wait! Come back! Fun in the 1880s
Anti-Asian sentiment stronger than anti-Mexican
Chinese Exclusion Act passed Mexican railroad workers recruited 1904: First border patrol established to
keep Asian immigrants from entering through the U.S./Mexico border
1882 Chinese Exclusion Act Climax to more than 30 years of
progressive racism Suspended Chinese immigration for ten
years and declared Chinese ineligible for naturalization
Just Kidding! Get out! 1910: Mexican Revolution Thousands flee Mexico to enter the U.S.
Baby, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Come back. 1920: First defacto bracero program recruits
Mexican agricultural workers 1921: Agricultural lobbyists seek to include
Mexicans among the list of restricted immigrants to the U.S.
1924: largest recruitment of Mexican workers ever 89,000 immigrants given permanent visas Concept of “illegal immigrant” emerges for the first time
Woah, woah, woah. I said “Come back.” I didn’t say, “Stay.”
The Depression hits Visas denied Deportations begin Border stations established Tax collected on people crossing the border
1931 Lemon Grove Lemon Grove local school board built a separate
2-room barn-like facility for Mexican pupils across the tracks in the barrio
2nd-hand equipment, books and supplies Parents voted to boycott school and seek legal
redress Board members argued school meant to meet
needs of non-English-speaking children Judge ordered “immediate reinstatement” to old
school
But I need you. Come home.
World War II: A labor crisis 1942: Bracero Program established Workers granted legal residency in the U.S. Millions of Mexican citizens “imported”
I have tired of you. Get out. War ends, U.S. citizens return, Mexican
workers deported Labor shortage. 1951: Bracero program
revived 1953: Operation Wetback 1960s: Bracero Program ends
1954 Operation Wetback Repatriation project of the United States
Immigration and Naturalization Service to remove illegal Mexican immigrants (“wetbacks”) from the Southwest
Operation trailed off in the fall of the same year due to lack of funds after the apprehension and deportation of thousands of illegal aliens
1972 Brown Berets Brown Berets, a youth organization, took
over Catalina Island off the Southern coast of California to symbolize their fight to protect the civil property rights of Mexicans in the Southwest
The economy informs notions of race.
Border Industrialization Program “Twin Plant” assembly program Maquiladoras 1982: Devaluation of Mexican currency
makes relocation of American businesses to Mexico an attractive option
NAFTA: We love to hate you. Economic incentives make borderlands an
attractive location for employment Increase in Mexican residents in
borderlands causes increase in border patrol
Fences established, English only laws passed
The culture war continues
Current Border Issues “The Wall of Embarrassment”/ the Mexican American Border
The Mexican media calls the border the “wall of embarrassment” because they believe it is embarrassing to Americans.
How many people has the wall and militarized border budget kept out?
Current Borderland Issues Minutemen Project started by
conservative Americans to control immigration using their own means.
Propelled by Homeland Security issues, post 9/11
Minutemen website
Current Borderland Issues Healthcare The controversy occurs in the US because
many people believe that no one should be turned away from a hospital for an illness.
In many states propositions have been passed that make it illegal for doctors to treat undocumented immigrants.
More information What do you think?
Related LinksNow let’s rhetorically analyze A Rational Approach to Immigration Post- Sept. 11: Vigilante Justice The 15 Second Men
Further Exploration Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
by Gloria Anzaldúa Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon
Silko The Border (documentary) by PBS The Salt of the Earth (film) by Herbert
Biberman Act & Resist (Web site)
Credits
Director Bethany Hunter
Executive Producer Robert Carlson
Key Grip Katherine Tierney
Editor Megan Mock
Hair and Make-up Robert Carlson
Best Posture Anna Van Dyke
Who would win in a fight Megan Mock