I have to grin at the auto "edit". That name of the operation which is auto edited into **** is the real name of a border patrol operation conducted in 1954 before certain terms became politically incorrect. I hope the links work I will substitute the word "moist" and hope readers can make the leap.

In fact the "auto edit" of the term wet gives me pause to think .. we've had the "cold war" the "war on terror" and the undeclared "war on terms" which is part of the defense method used by the other side .. I give you the terms xenphobe, racists, nativist etc. to consider for a moment. But that is a subject for another day.

The topic of this post is we've done it before - why can't we do it again (unless!! it is oh my gosh I bet that is it. Congress can't find a politically correct solution without violating a foreign national's rights so they will forfeit ours instead. (bad julie bad but I could not resist that statement)

OKAY HERE IT GOES READ IT AND WEEP AT THE STUPIDITY OUR GOVERNMENT EXHIBITS

History repeats itself ....

When they ask what to do with 11- 12 million illegal aliens in this country, tell them to read their own history! 1.3 million illegal aliens were removed from this country over a four month period in 1954 under President Dwight Eisenhower authorizing Operation "moist"back. For exactly the same reasons we are experiencing today.



Synapse of the articles listed below:

During the first decades of the twentieth century, the majorities of migrant workers crossed the border illegally and were exploited by American farmers. The United States and Mexican government negotiated an agreement to formalize a �temporary� program into the Bracero program authorized by Public Law 78.

In the 1940s this was successful but Mexico had grievances with the way Texas handled migrant workers with regard to housing, medical care and fair wages and chose to exclude Texas from the formal agreement. Texas continued to hire migrant workers in conflict with the provisions of PL78.

The post World War II period exacerbated the Mexican exodus to the United States, as the demand for cheap agricultural laborers increased. Graft and corruption on both sides of the border enriched many Mexican officials as well as unethical "coyote" freelancers in the United States who promised contracts in Texas for the unsuspecting Bracero.

Studies conducted over a period of several years indicate that the Bracero program increased the number of illegal aliens in Texas and the rest of the country. Because of the low wages paid to legal, contracted braceros, many of them skipped out on their contracts either to return home or to work elsewhere for better wages as wetbacks.

Increasing grievances from various Mexican officials in the United States and Mexico prompted the Mexican government to rescind the bracero agreement and cease the export of Mexican workers.

The United States Immigration Service under pressure from various agricultural groups, retaliated against Mexico in 1951 by allowing thousands of illegals to cross the border, arresting them, and turning them over to the Texas Employment Commission, which delivered them to work for various grower groups in Texas and elsewhere.

In 1953 a McAllen newspaper clamored for justice in view of continuing criminal activities by wetbacks. (illegal Mexican nationals in this country)

It is estimated that in 1954 before Operation Wetback got under way, more than a million workers had crossed the Rio Grande illegally. Cheap labor displaced native agricultural workers, and increased violation of labor laws and discrimination encouraged criminality, disease, and illiteracy.

Utilizing 700 border patrol between 850,000 and 1.3 million illegal aliens were removed from this country in four months. (estimates of the number of illegal aliens removed vary per source)

Reports vary as to why it was stopped one report says INS ran out of funds, others imply newspapers took up the cry of �police state activity� and the project was abandoned.

Over the long term, this action by the federal government, in violation of immigration laws and the agreement with Mexico, caused new problems for Texas.

Between 1944 and 1954, "the decade of the wetback," the number of illegal aliens coming from Mexico increased by 6,000 percent.

Does any of this sound vaguely familiar?

Does it bother you that Bush is calling for a guest worker program when this nation has been there / done that and failed or that one exists in the immigration laws enacted in 1986?

Do you wonder why, having full knowledge of the pattern of Mexican nationals entering this country illegally over the last 100 years, they turned a blind eye to the activity for the past two decades?

Do you wonder why, during a time of "war" they did not close that border and in fact encourgaged the increase of people trafficking over our borders illegally by refusing to close that border?

I do ... that's why I am looking to history for the answers. The congress won't provide them.



Sources:
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/onl ... /pqo1.html http://state29.blogspot.com/2006/05/ope ... tback.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wetback