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Operation Wetback, 1953. Eisenhower did it without Drones or IR Cams.


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2015 Aug 7, 11:23am   4,093 views  12 comments

by MisdemeanorRebel   ➕follow (12)   💰tip   ignore  

Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.

President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents – less than one-tenth of today's force.

Although there is little to no record of this operation in Ike's official papers, one piece of historic evidence indicates how he felt. In 1951, Ike wrote a letter to Sen. William Fulbright (D) of Arkansas. The senator had just proposed that a special commission be created by Congress to examine unethical conduct by government officials who accepted gifts and favors in exchange for special treatment of private individuals.

Hear that, Identity Democrats and Agrarian Republicans? Fulbright!

General Eisenhower, who was gearing up for his run for the presidency, said "Amen" to Senator Fulbright's proposal. He then quoted a report in The New York Times, highlighting one paragraph that said: "The rise in illegal border-crossing by Mexican 'wetbacks' to a current rate of more than 1,000,000 cases a year has been accompanied by a curious relaxation in ethical standards extending all the way from the farmer-exploiters of this contraband labor to the highest levels of the Federal Government."

That's right, Ike told it how it was. Farmer-exploiters, in Russian they're called Kulaks, which is Turkish for "Closed Hands" and translates perfectly to "Tight Fisted". The legend of the rich cocksucker Plantation Owner is a worldwide human phenomenon to be controlled by societal force. They're also the first to betray their society, since they have to cooperate with the occupier to keep their wealth which is in land. And they hate democracy because they know the landless greatly outnumber them and will curb their nonsense.

Years later, the late Herbert Brownell Jr., Eisenhower's first attorney general, said in an interview with this writer that the president had a sense of urgency about illegal immigration when he took office.

America "was faced with a breakdown in law enforcement on a very large scale," Mr. Brownell said. "When I say large scale, I mean hundreds of thousands were coming in from Mexico [every year] without restraint."

Although an on-and-off guest-worker program for Mexicans was operating at the time, farmers and ranchers in the Southwest had become dependent on an additional low-cost, docile, illegal labor force of up to 3 million, mostly Mexican, laborers.

According to the Handbook of Texas Online, published by the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas State Historical Association, this illegal workforce had a severe impact on the wages of ordinary working Americans. The Handbook Online reports that a study by the President's Commission on Migratory Labor in Texas in 1950 found that cotton growers in the Rio Grande Valley, where most illegal aliens in Texas worked, paid wages that were "approximately half" the farm wages paid elsewhere in the state.


What? Illegals lower wages! No they don't! Thousands of years of human experience is wrong! Massively Increased supply with flattish demand doesn't equal lower prices! Farm and Food Prep Labor is an exception to all Economics!

Profits from illegal labor led to the kind of corruption that apparently worried Eisenhower. Joseph White, a retired 21-year veteran of the Border Patrol, says that in the early 1950s, some senior US officials overseeing immigration enforcement "had friends among the ranchers," and agents "did not dare" arrest their illegal workers.

Walt Edwards, who joined the Border Patrol in 1951, tells a similar story. He says: "When we caught illegal aliens on farms and ranches, the farmer or rancher would often call and complain [to officials in El Paso]. And depending on how politically connected they were, there would be political intervention. That is how we got into this mess we are in now."

Bill Chambers, who worked for a combined 33 years for the Border Patrol and the then-called US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), says politically powerful people are still fueling the flow of illegals.

During the 1950s, however, this "Good Old Boy" system changed under Eisenhower – if only for about 10 years.

In 1954, Ike appointed retired Gen. Joseph "Jumpin' Joe" Swing, a former West Point classmate and veteran of the 101st Airborne, as the new INS commissioner.

Influential politicians, including Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson (D) of Texas and Sen. Pat McCarran (D) of Nevada, favored open borders, and were dead set against strong border enforcement, Brownell said. But General Swing's close connections to the president shielded him – and the Border Patrol – from meddling by powerful political and corporate interests.


The jerks back then also liked mass illegal immigration.

One of Swing's first decisive acts was to transfer certain entrenched immigration officials out of the border area to other regions of the country where their political connections with people such as Senator Johnson would have no effect.

Then on June 17, 1954, what was called "Operation Wetback" began. Because political resistance was lower in California and Arizona, the roundup of aliens began there. Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.

By mid-July, the crackdown extended northward into Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and eastward to Texas.

By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily.

Unlike today, Mexicans caught in the roundup were not simply released at the border, where they could easily reenter the US. To discourage their return, Swing arranged for buses and trains to take many aliens deep within Mexico before being set free.

Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships, the Emancipation and the Mercurio. The ships ferried the aliens from Port Isabel, Texas, to Vera Cruz, Mexico, more than 500 miles south.


http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.html

We did it before, whatever those who support lower wages for Americans claim. Another side effect of our crappy Senate system.

It would cost a few million to bribe Mexican Officials to agree to have ships loaded with illegals to unload them in Campeche or Vera Cruz, far from the US border.

Comments 1 - 12 of 12        Search these comments

1   RWSGFY   2015 Aug 7, 11:42am  

When you want to do something - you find means. When you don't - you find excuses.

2   HydroCabron   2015 Aug 7, 12:12pm  

thunderlips11 says

Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House

I thought "What is this: 2006?" and then I read the date on the article.

If you know anyone in the southwestern part of the U.S. who runs a farm, landscaping or hauling business, ask them how they feel about closing the borders. If they're honest, they'll admit that they don't want them closed.

I wonder what happens to Trump's $10 billion $4 billion fortune if illegal labor disappears, or if employers are punished with huge fines.

3   HydroCabron   2015 Aug 7, 12:44pm  

DieBankOfAmericaPhukkingDie says

Trumps' buildings developed with the Russian mobsters are being used for money laundering and are subject to forfeiture and treble fines.

He might have to declare bankruptcy! Oh noes!

4   FortWayne   2015 Aug 7, 1:10pm  

Back in the days "negro" were picking cotton and everyone finally came to realization that's exploitation. Today we have illegals working fields and slowing down American wages, and liberals like to pretend that is not exploitation and forced impoverishment of the working class.

5   Dan8267   2015 Aug 7, 8:32pm  

FortWayne says

Today we have illegals working fields and slowing down American wages, and liberals like to pretend that is not exploitation and forced impoverishment of the working class.

You have your head stuck so far up your ass you could be your own proctologist. It's scumbag conservatives who want "illegals" picking the crops because they are damn cheap compared to American workers. Your piece-of-shit factory farm owners would have to pay Americans ten times as much as they pay illegal immigrants with no rights and the constant fear of deportation. I say we round up all these farm owners, throw them in jail for their crimes, and confiscate all their property as compensation to the American public. Still want to blame your shit on liberals?

6   Dan8267   2015 Aug 7, 8:33pm  

thunderlips11 says

They're also the first to betray their society, since they have to cooperate with the occupier to keep their wealth which is in land. And they hate democracy because they know the landless greatly outnumber them and will curb their nonsense.

All of human history in two sentences.

7   indigenous   2015 Aug 7, 10:02pm  

Actually the pickers make decent money as they get paid piece price IOW as high as $18.00 per hour

Additionally they are often subsidized by the state in Calif. 1/3 of US welfare recipients are in Calif.

I don't care as much about the Illegals as I do the fact that state subsidizes them, not that they are the only recipients or even take more than they give.

8   Y   2015 Aug 8, 6:00am  

don't you mean "internationals"??

indigenous says

I don't care as much about the Illegals

9   Blurtman   2015 Aug 8, 8:02am  

Before the creation of the bogus Hispanic category.

10   FortWayne   2015 Aug 8, 8:44am  

Dan8267 says

You have your head stuck so far up your ass you could be your own proctologist. It's scumbag conservatives who want "illegals" picking the crops because they are damn cheap compared to American workers. Your piece-of-shit factory farm owners would have to pay Americans ten times as much as they pay illegal immigrants with no rights and the constant fear of deportation. I say we round up all these farm owners, throw them in jail for their crimes, and confiscate all their property as compensation to the American public. Still want to blame your shit on liberals?

Ike was conservative, Trump is a conservative. It's you liberals who are constantly pushing for more illegals to cross the border, it's not me, but it's you people stuck in your own asses that you can't see the light anymore.

11   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2015 Aug 8, 9:07am  

FortWayne says

Ike was conservative, Trump is a conservative. It's you liberals who are constantly pushing for more illegals to cross the border, it's not me, but it's you people stuck in your own asses that you can't see the light anymore.

Having lived in a sanctuary city, whose mayor was a supporter of open borders(Antonio Vilar), it's true that most of the open border supporters are Democrats.

Some republicans mentioned the e verify system in the debates as well as enforcing laws against employers that are already on the books. I hope they mean it. Trump was on the Michael Savage show, probably the most well known and outspoken nativist in the country. Trump advocated his wall and basically said what Savage has for several years now.

Current Democrats will do absolutely zilch to stem the tide of illegal immigrants into the U.S.

12   Dan8267   2015 Aug 8, 1:21pm  

FortWayne says

Ike was conservative

Ike was far more liberal than Obama, Clinton, Carter, or even Kennedy. To call him a conservative is just plain stupid. There is no way that Ike would be welcomed in today's GOP or Tea Party. They would call him a socialist pinko Commie traitor. Just take a look at his positions as expressed in his own words and tell me that you agree with him. Here's how liberal Ike was.

1. On Social Security

Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas.Their number is negligible and they are stupid.

Today's Republican are constantly trying to cut and scrap Social Security. It must be evil if it has the world social right in it. That's socialism!

2. On Military Spending

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.

The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway.

We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.

This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road. the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.

There isn't a single Republican, except Ron and Rand Paul, who would lower the obscene military budget. Ike, like me, would slash it by 90%.

3. On War and America's as the World's Police Force

I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of their way and let them have it.

Ike would be the enemy of every defense contractor in our country.

4. On Privileges

A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.

Ike would oppose the TSA, the Patriot Act, and the NDAA.

5. On Trading Liberty for Security

If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking is freedom.

Ike would call the War on Drugs and the mass incarceration in our country Unamerican.

6. On War

I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.

Every GOP candidate in the past 20 years except Ron and Rand Paul have been pro-war and have called for more wars.

7. On Economic Equality

America does not prosper unless all Americans prosper.

Government must have a heart as well as a head.

Ike would be appalled at today's rich-poor gap.

8. On the United Nations

We shall continue vigorously to support the United Nations.

Today's GOP hates the UN.

9. On Race

We shall ever build anew, that our children and their children, without distinction because of race, creed or color, may know the blessings of our free land.

None of the conservative bitching and moaning about #blacklivesmatter would agree with this.

10. On liberty

In all those things which deal with people, be liberal, be human. In all those things which deal with people's money, or their economy, or their form of government, be conservative.

Just like your typical STEM liberal, fiscal conservative like me.

11. On the role of government

The legitimate object of Government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done but cannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves in their separate and individual capacities. But in all that people can individually do as well for themselves, Government ought not to interfere.

So Ike thinks the people should be allowed to do whatever they want as long as they aren't infringing upon other people's rights. This is the very definition of liberal.

Ike also thinks that government is the solution to big problems that individuals cannot solve. This is incompatible with today's GOP platform that government is incompetent at everything and must be eliminated.

12. On equality under law

We hold that the Bill of Rights is the sacred foundation of personal liberty. That men are created equal needs no affirmation, but they must have equality of opportunity and protection of their civil rights under the law.

Again, a quintessential liberal position.

13. On the Equal Rights Amendment

We recommend to Congress the submission of a constitutional amendment providing equal rights for men and women.

Holy shit! That would not fly in today's Republican Party.

14. On Immigration

The Republican Party supports an immigration policy which is in keeping with the traditions of America in providing a haven for oppressed peoples, and which is based on equality of treatment, freedom from implications of discrimination between racial, nationality and religious groups, and flexible enough to conform to changing needs and conditions.

We believe that such a policy serves our self-interest, reflects our responsibility for world leadership and develops maximum cooperation with other nations in resolving problems in this area.

We support the President's program submitted to the 84th Congress to carry out needed modifications in existing law and to take such further steps as may be necessary to carry out our traditional policy.

In that concept, this Republican Administration sponsored the Refugee Relief Act to provide asylum for thousands of refugees, expellees and displaced persons, and undertook in the face of Democrat opposition to correct the inequities in existing law and to bring our immigration policies in line with the dynamic needs of the country and principles of equity and justice.

We believe also that the Congress should consider the extension of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 in resolving this difficult refugee problem which resulted from world conflict. To all this we give our wholehearted support.

That's right. Ike was pro-immigration and would increase immigration from poor countries like Mexico. He's not looking for "only the best", but rather those in greatest need. He would be assassinated by today's Republicans.

15. On currency debasement or quantitative easing

We will ever fight the demoralizing influence of inflation as a national way of life. We are proud to have fulfilled our 1952 pledge to halt the skyrocketing cost of living that in the previous 13 years had cut the value of the dollar by half, and robbed millions of the full value of their wages, savings, insurance, pensions and social security.

Ike would oppose the monetary policies both parties engage in.

16. On equal pay

Assure equal pay for equal work regardless of Sex

17. On Progressive reforms

The Eisenhower Administration will continue to fight for dynamic and progressive programs which, among other things, will:

Stimulate improved job safety of our workers, through assistance to the States, employees and employers;

Continue and further perfect its programs of assistance to the millions of workers with special employment problems, such as older workers, handicapped workers, members of minority groups, and migratory workers;

Strengthen and improve the Federal-State Employment Service and improve the effectiveness of the unemployment insurance system;

Protect by law, the assets of employee welfare and benefit plans so that workers who are the beneficiaries can be assured of their rightful benefits;

Clarify and strengthen the eight-hour laws for the benefit of workers who are subject to federal wage standards on Federal and Federally-assisted construction, and maintain and continue the vigorous administration of the Federal prevailing minimum wage law for public supply contracts

How many times have conservative posters on this site use the word progressive as if it's a dirty word. According to Ike, the Progressive Movement is one of the greatest things in American history.

18. On the minimum wage

Extend the protection of the Federal minimum wage laws to as many more workers as is possible and practicable;

Today's Republicans want to eliminate the minimum wage. They would hate Ike.

19. On anti-discrimination laws

Continue to fight for the elimination of discrimination in employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry or sex;

Today's Republicans want to undermine Ike's effort in the name of "freedom of religion" and "small business rights".

20. On unemployment benefits

Provide assistance to improve the economic conditions of areas faced with persistent and substantial unemployment;

Yep, Ike wants to take your money and give it to the unemployed bums you call lazy nig -- er, um, thugs.

21. On unions

Revise and improve the Taft-Hartley Act so as to protect more effectively the rights of labor unions, management, the individual worker, and the public. The protection of the right of workers to organize into unions and to bargain collectively is the firm and permanent policy of the Eisenhower Administration. In 1954, 1955 and again in 1956, President Eisenhower recommended constructive amendments to this Act. The Democrats in Congress have consistently blocked these needed changes by parliamentary maneuvers. The Republican Party pledges itself to overhaul and improve the Taft-Hartley Act along the lines of these recommendations.

Yep, Ike was pro-union. Oh, and don't get confused. Those Democrats who were anti-union, were pre-Southern-Strategy Democrats, a.k.a. Dixiecrats, who are today's Republicans. Conservatives love to try to confuse the public into believing that pre-1960 conservatives were actually liberals because they were controlling the other party back then. It's a lie.

Pre-Southern-Strategy Republican like Ike were the liberals of their day. Not only would they be Democrats today, they would be Rachael-Maddow style Democrats, the type conservatives loath. And yes, the old Republicans today were young Dixiecrats back in 1950 and they hated Ike like they hate Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren today. And who today likes the policies of Ike?

That's right. Ike belongs with us liberals as much today as he did in his time. We liberals haven't changed. It's the political parties who changed. The fact that today's Republicans are so ashamed of their Dixiecrat roots and so proud of Pre-Southern-Strategy Republican liberals says all you have to know about how evil conservatives are and how good liberals are.

Every thing in Eisenhower's presidential platform is exactly the same thing that I and all other liberals have been espousing on this forum for years. To embrace Eisenhower's platform is to embrace my platform. So if you're trying to praise Ike while condemning liberalism, progressiveness, or socialism, you are simply an ignorant hypocrite.

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