Mexican Americans and Immigrants During the Great Depression Essay

Words: 2609
Pages: 11
Open Document
The U.S. is known as a land of opportunity and has always attracted many peoples from different parts of the world. Many come with hope of improving their lives and seek a stable job that will be sufficient in supporting their families. Many people pursued the American Dream, and there are plenty who still do today, and achieved it. Despite the many success stories that have taken place, they were not as likely to transpire during the 1930s as they would have been during another time period. Due to the poor economy and lack of abundant jobs, the U.S. had to go through drastic measures to ensure that Americans, specifically white Americans, had a better chance of finding employment. This included discouraging immigration immensely. When …show more content…
Consequently, immigration rates declined during the 1930s. The number of immigrants surpassed the number of emigrants only by about 70,000. The number of immigrants was 528,331 and that of the emigrants was 459,738. There were more emigrants than immigrants during the years 1932-1935 (U.S. Census Bureau).These statistics show that the government really cracked down on the quotas and LPC clause because the numbers of immigrants were once so much higher than they had been during the 1930s. There were many immigrants that realized that their poverty and misery would not be alleviated in the U.S., so some willingly went home. Some of the emigration during the 1932-1935 was a direct result of the Mexican Repatriation because so many Mexicans and Mexican Americans were moved out. Usually the U.S. had overwhelming numbers of people wanting to come in and very few emigrants, but the dreadful conditions of the U.S. in the Great Depression did not make the U.S. very appealing. Secondly, as the Great Depression began to recede in the mid-1930s, many Americans had jobs because of the New Deal programs while immigrants still had a hard time finding work, but not as hard as it had been before, due to restrictions. After 1935, when the New Deal program was in full swing, the WPA (Works Progress Administration) helped the Mexican Americans and immigrants greatly by employing them to be a part of the
Show More

Related Documents: Mexican Americans and Immigrants During the Great Depression Essay

Summary Of Steel Barrio

Steel Barrio- The Great Mexican Migration to South Chicago 1915-1940 “this book investigates the years between the World Wars, the period that witnessed the first, massive influx of Mexicans into Chicago”. The author Michael Innis-Jimenez makes several points to illustrate how community members used the discrimination against them, a sojourner attitude, mutual aid organizations, organized sports and other groups to bring together a diverse community of Mexicans and Mexican American, being literate…

Words 430 - Pages 2

Mexican Repatriation In The 1930s

The Great Depression was a main cause for Mexican repatriation in the 1930s and many Americans believed that Mexicans were taking up a lot of jobs that “real” American citizens needed. California’s purpose for this cause was that “returning immigrants to their country of origin would save the city money by reducing the number of needy families using federal welfare funds and free up jobs for those perceived as "Real Americans"(wikipedia.org). During this time, the Mexican Repatriation Act was passed…

Words 474 - Pages 2

Mexican immigration Essay

Most Mexican-Americans are descendants of immigrants who moved into the U.S. in high numbers after 1910. Many first arrived as agricultural laborers in farming valleys of the southern ends of the border states of California, especially the Imperial Valley; Arizona, especially Tucson; New Mexico; and Texas, especially the Rio Grande Valley. Anglo-Americans hired Mexicans and U.S. born Mexicans to work in the region's year-round agricultural economy, most notably in tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, grapes…

Words 995 - Pages 4

Mexican and Chinese Immigration during the Golden Door Period Essay

its people. During the 19th century, a period referred to as the “Golden Door” era, millions of people immigrated to the US in search of the promise that America held. Unfortunately for the Mexican and Chinese who immigrated to the Americas West Coast the better life that they sought was extremely difficult to reach. They were met with harsh discrimination and policies set against them that made it near impossible to succeed. The lives of immigrants on the East and West Coast during the “Golden Door”…

Words 1108 - Pages 5

Pros And Cons Of The New Deal

The Great Depression left many Americans unemployed and depressed. Many were hungry, starving, and even homeless. Their life was in despair, with unequal treatments and social reform was much needed. Unemployment grew and many minorities were being shipped out of the U.S, so that more native citizens would have jobs to work at. It was a big responsibility and duty for the President to fix the economic and social crisis. During Roosevelt’s presidency, he came up with “The New Deal” plan. It was to…

Words 744 - Pages 3

Marijuana as a Social Problem Essay

amazing powers to treat painful maladies. It was sold openly and was easily available in public pharmacies. However, during this time, marijuana was also starting to be used more often as an intoxicant. The recreational use of marijuana started on a small scale in the late 19th century in the northeastern United States with the opening of many Turkish smoking parlors. It was also during this time that about two to five percent of America’s population had unknowingly become addicted to morphine as most…

Words 1085 - Pages 5

First Immigration Movement Essay

years ago the Native Americans were sought to be the first to come from Northeast Asia and cross the famous “land bridge” between Siberia to present day Alaska. (Lovgren, 2003). As early as the 1500’s there were already immigrants settling into what we know today as, America. The Spanish were also one of the earliest groups to migrate into America. They began establishing settlements in Florida, Texas, and California (“U.S. Immigration,” 2009). Over 200,000 Spanish immigrants came as the first big…

Words 1198 - Pages 5

President Hoover Dbq

The presidents of the United States of America during the Great Depression, each person can witness certain events that may change his life or how he views certain events and situations. Although it should never change his outlook on aiding other individuals, presidents should never be biased because of how he grew up. President Herbert Hoover was the president at the start of the great depression (1929). Hoover grew up as an orphan or never had anything ever handed to him he worked hard and made…

Words 784 - Pages 4

Prejudice In Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Paso, Texas. They both have Mexican heritage, Aristotle more than Dante. Aristotle feels that he needs to follow certain characteristics to be Mexican. However, Dante chooses to follow the opposite of a stereotypical Mexican. The prejudice that Aristotle has seen and heard to be a true Mexican is to be tough, muscular, and poor to be a real Mexican. While Dante is doing the exact opposite of what Aristotle is trying to become. Dante does not consider himself Mexican and reads poetry and stargazes…

Words 1135 - Pages 5

Mexican Health Paradox Essay

Does the Mexican Health Paradox Play on Health Today? What Role Does the Mexican Health Paradox Play on Health Today? What is it like to be a Mexican American in the modern United States? Asking this question, one can easily encounter various stereotypes. Often times it is associated with illegal immigration, these people can be caught in the middle of racial attacks and deprivations. The protesters might have forgotten about the history when Mexicans helped the American people…

Words 7506 - Pages 31