Essay on Mexicans in America During the Great Depression

While many remember the Great Depression as a time of terrible trials for Americans, few understand the hardships faced by Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the U.S. This paper examines the experiences of Mexicans in America during the Great Depression and explores the devastating impact of repatriation efforts. America has an extensive history of accepting Mexican workers when they are needed for cheap labor, and demanding that they be deported when the economic situation is more precarious in an attempt to open jobs for Americans. In the 1930s, â€Å"Americans, reeling from the economic disorientation of the depression, sought a convenient scapegoat. They found it in the Mexican community.† Mexicans were blamed for economic hardships†¦show more content†¦However, it failed to take into account what would become of the Mexican workers who were removed from their jobs. Mr. Doak, the Secretary of Labor, confirmed the necessity of this method of job creation as he claimed â€Å"more than 1100 aliens have been deported from New York City alone since the middle of January. More than half of these deportations created jobs for unemployed Americans.† While sending Mexicans back to their country opened up jobs for Americans, it also meant that Mexicans could no longer support themselves and their families. In 1933 in Los Angeles County, 12,600 Mexican families were on welfare. Often heads of households were deported leaving family members behind. Some Americans questioned the true cost savings of deporting Mexicans, and â€Å"One study indicated that if 1,200 aliens were deported, they would leave behind 1,418 dependents who would be eligible for public welfare.† In some cases, parents were not U.S. citizens but there children were, and consequently the parents were deported while the children were allowed to stay. 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