Question

This excerpt is from an analysis of U.S. policy.

Federal state. and local governments worked together to involuntanlv remove many US citizens of Mexican ancestry many of whom were born in the United States.
Approximately 60 percent of the persons of Mexican ancestry removed to Mexico in the 1930s were U.S. citizens, many of the children who were effectively departed to Mexico when their immierant parents were sent there.
-Kevin R. Johnson, "The Forgotten Repatriation of Persons of Mexican Ancestry and Lessons for the War on Terror,"Pace Law Review, Fall 2005
Why did the U.S. government take this action during the Great Depression?

Answer 1

The U.S. government's deportation of U.S. citizens of Mexican ancestry during the Great Depression was motivated by economic concerns and racial discrimination. The high unemployment among white workers and racist attitudes led to scapegoating and mass deportations. Later, during labor shortages in World War II, the U.S. government's stance briefly changed, highlighting the pattern of economic exploitation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reasons for U.S. Government Action During the Great Depression

During the Great Depression, the U.S. government took action against citizens of Mexican ancestry due to economic and racial motivations. High unemployment rates among white workers led to the scapegoating of Mexican American laborers, who were perceived as competitors for scarce jobs. Underlying racist attitudes, exacerbated by the eugenics movement and concerns over job competition, resulted in the forced deportation of many U.S. citizens of Mexican descent, a process made easier by the lack of legal protections for these communities. State and federal governments cooperated in these deportations, placing economic interests of Anglo-Americans before the rights of Mexican Americans.

In responses to labor shortages during World War II, the U.S. government implemented the Bracero Program, which recruited Mexican laborers to fill vacated jobs, showcasing the government's shifting stance toward Mexican workers based on economic needs. However, this shift was temporary, and once the economic situation changed, deportation practices resumed under programs like Operation Wetback. The treatment of Mexican Americans and Mexican immigrants has been marked by this pattern of economic exploitation and racial discrimination.