The Bracero Program was a joint labor program initiated in August, 1942 by the United States Federal Government and the Mexican Federal Government. The program was designed to bring skilled Mexican Agriculture laborers to the United States to fill gaps in the agricultural labor market. The program ran from 1942 to 1964 at which point the two governments shut it down. The program made a large contribution to US Agriculture, leading to the advent of mechanized farming.

The workers who participated in the Bracero Program have led large fights with the US Governement and Mexican Government to receive pensions which they were legally guaranteed to but not given until the workers fought the respective governments in court.

Such a program has recently been spotlighted in the political media when United States President George W. Bush presented the possibility of creating such a program today in conjuction with Mexican President Vicente Fox to fulfill immigration needs. Such a program would allow laborers to apply for the program, be screened and then come to the United States to work. It is expected such a program would apply to various industries and not just agriculture. This program was widely expected to take-effect in 2000 and 2001 but was put aside in US foreign policy when the September 11th attacks occurred. However, the possibility of such a program happening was revived by President Bush in late 2004 when he began referring to the possibility of it being enacted once more, after his re-election in 2004.

See Also

• Agriculture
• Immigration
• Labor
• Mexico
• United States