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Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (CA-32) will introduce legislation to establish a commission to investigate the removal of as many as two million Mexican Americans from the United States during the Great Depression. The legislation, titled “Commission on Mexican American Removal during 1929-1941 Act,” would create a federal body to investigate the mass removals and report its findings and any recommended remedies to Congress.
“We must learn more about this dark chapter in American history which has left a lasting impact on communities and families all across the country,” said Congresswoman Solis. “For too long, this tragic period has gone unnoticed by the American public. As a nation, we must learn from the mistakes of the past and not repeat them.”
Absent from American textbooks and curricula, countless Americans of Mexican descent were removed from the United Status during the Great Depression in order to, in the words of authorities, keep scarce jobs for “real Americans,” not Mexican-Americans. The forced deportees hailed from all areas of the country, including Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, New York, and California. Those deported from the United States included U.S. military veterans of World War I.
Solis’ legislation has received the support of the National Council of La Raza, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the American GI Forum.
Last year, California state Senator Joe Dunn introduced a bill to express a state apology for the episode and require placement of a plaque commemorating the deportees. The Dunn bill was passed by the state legislature and was signed into law on October 7, 2005. |
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