Expulsion of U.S. Citizens

Description: In the 1920s, the expulsion was limited to Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas, but from the 1930s to the 1940s, it expanded nationwide. The nationwide expulsion began February 26, 1931, as INS agents sealed off La Placita Park on Olvera in Los Angeles, California, a week later 400 Mexicans were deported from Los Angeles to Mexico; by August 50,000 were arrested nationwide, by 1940, 1.2 million had been arrested nationwide and deported by trains and/or ships to Mexico. In addition, the massive expulsion caused many U.S. Citizens of Mexican ancestry to leave their homes, their nation, and their relatives as they fled the U.S. in fear. According to a research of U.S. and Mexican official records, 60% (720,000) of those deported had been U.S. Citizens of Mexican ancestry. The expulsion created a one generation setback, drove people underground, and caused the lost of potential leaders. The expulsion, believed to have ended at the end of the Great Depression and the start of World War II, did not, as several U.S. Citizens of Hispanic ancestry were forcefully deported in 2006-2007. On 9/20/2001, Pres. Bush stated to our nation, "I ask you to uphold the values of America and remember why so many have come here. We are in a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them. No one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith." On 9/23/2001, at a press briefing, he stated, "The object of terrorism is to try to force us to change our way of life, to force us to retreat, and to force us to be what we are not. They are simply going to fail." Apparently, many Americans were not listening, or simply refused to listen, and allowed hatred and suspicion to blanket our nation and fear to change our way of life. Today, hatred and fear are sweeping across our nation as an anti-Hispanic immigrant movement has surfaced and many U.S. born children find themselves without parents, or incarcerated with their parents, when parents are apprehended and later deported. Remember: If we allow terrorists to change our way of life - THEY WIN!