What were the braceros promised?

Under this pact, the laborers were promised decent living conditions in labor camps, such as adequate shelter, food and sanitation, as well as a minimum wage pay of 30 cents an hour. The program began in Stockton, California in August 1942.

How did the Bracero Program affect families?

Bracero remittances created positive income shocks for households in those communities that sent them to the United States. Moreover, braceros were exposed to ideas and institutions in the United States, including greater educational opportunities for children than in their own communities in Mexico.

How much did braceros get paid?

The bracero program guaranteed workers a minimum wage of 50 cents per hour, insurance and safe, free housing. However, farm owners frequently failed to live up to these requirements. Housing and food routinely was well below standards, and wages were not only low, but also frequently paid late or not at all.

How were Mexicans treated during the Bracero Program?

Braceros often faced discrimination, as with “no dogs or Mexicans” signs in some rural stores and restaurants. After the program ended in 1921, Mexicans continued to enter the US illegally, and the establishment of the Border Patrol in 1924 did little to impede their movement.

Why did the US need the Bracero Program?

The Bracero Program was created by executive order in 1942 because many growers argued that World War II would bring labor shortages to low-paying agricultural jobs.

How did braceros help the war effort?

The braceros helped Oregon sustain agricultural production during the war and were important in maintaining railroad lines for the transportation of goods, war materials, and people. Through these efforts, the braceros were a significant part of the Allied war effort.

How many people were in the Bracero program?

unprecedented and radical solution to America’s labor needs, was prompted by the enormous manpower shortage created by World War II. Over the program’s 22-year lifespan, more than 4.5 million Mexican citizens were legally hired for work in the United States, primarily in Texas and California.

Why was the Bracero program bad?

The program came to an end in 1964 in part because of concerns about abuses of the program and the treatment of the Bracero workers. Although the program was supposed to guarantee a minimum wage, housing, and health care, many workers faced low wages, horrible living and working conditions, and discrimination.

What was the Bracero Program for kids?

The program offered Mexican citizens short-term contracts to work in the United States. The workers were guaranteed the same pay as Americans working the same job and protection from discrimination. The braceros would also receive free housing, health care, and transportation back to Mexico when their contracts ended.