History
Following is a timeline of critical historical events related to Mexican immigration to the U.S. and access to higher education:
1819: Adam-Onis Treaty: U.S.-Mexico boundary established by Spain and U.S.
1846-1848: U.S.-Mexican War 1904: First border patrol established to stop Asian workers from coming into U.S. through Mexico 1910: Mexican Revolution begins. Thousands of Mexicans flee across border for safety 1910: At New Mexican constitutional convention, Mexican American delegates mandate that both Spanish and English be used for all state business |
1924: Immigration Act of 1924 halts flow of other immigrant groups, border stations are established to formally admit Mexican workers, and a tax is collected on each person entering
1934: San Antonio community leader Eleuterio Escobar forms La Liga Pro-Defensa Escolar (The School Improvement League) because of gross inequity in spending between Mexican American and Anglo public schools 1942: Bracero program begins, allowing Mexican nationals to temporarily work in U.S., primarily in agricultural industry 1945: Mexican American veterans return from war and use G.I. benefits for college education, purchasing homes, and furthering community economic growth |
1947: Suit by Gonzalo Mendez against many California school districts causes Federal District Court to rule segregation in schools unconstitutional. This sets judicial precedent for Brown vs. Board of Education
1953: Operation Wetback: U.S. Immigration Service deports more than 3.8 million people of Mexican heritage. 1962: César Chávez organizes National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) 1964: First maquiladoras established under Border Industrialization Program; mass employment of cheap labor along Mexican border by U.S. companies begins |
1964: Bracero program repealed
1965: Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 limits immigrants into U.S. 1994: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes into effect, stimulating trade between U.S. and Mexico. Massive increases in border populations occur 1996: Under President Clinton, U.S. Border Patrols bolstered, sensors installed, and 40 miles of 14-foot fence built to deter flow of illegal immigrants |
1997: Clinton becomes first president to visit Mexico since Jimmy Carter in 1979. Clinton promises Mexican President Zedillo he will avoid "mass deportations" under U.S. immigration policy
2001: DREAM Act first introduced in Congress 2000s: DREAM Act fails to pass Congress 2012: President Obama issues executive order to temporarily stop deportation of young, undocumented immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children |
References
The border. (1999). Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kpbs/theborder/history/index.html
The DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act. (2012). Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/pov/sinpais/photo_gallery_background.php?photo=3
The DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act. (2012). Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/pov/sinpais/photo_gallery_background.php?photo=3