Uncovering History

Because my stories are set in the early- to mid-twentieth century, I had to spend a lot of time research history, to make sure my books are accurate. And what I discovered what that the history we are taught in public schools is not at all what really happened. Some of these events made it into my books, but most didn’t, or, if they did, they are only referenced as a backdrop to my stories.

One thing I found really interesting was an awful program called “Operation Wetback”. It’s an actual law enforcement initiative enacted by Congress, with the purported goal of rounding up and deporting all Mexican illegal immigrants. I say purported, because the actual effect, which I believe was intended, was simply to round up any Spanish-speakers, put them on a train, and send them South. The vast majority of deportees were actually natural-born citizens, sometimes people who had been living in this country for three generations!

And a good portion of deportees were children who were picked up off the streets simply for speaking Spanish and shipped to Mexico - without their parents or any family members even being informed.

But the 1950s wasn’t even the first time the government did this. The La Placita raid back in 1931 set the example.

There’s a reason our laws talk about “aliens” - it’s because the law is meant to dehumanize people. The same with “illegals”. There is no such thing as “illegals” though. Somebody may be an illegal immigrant, but they are still people.

Often simply escaping a dictator the American government put in place. But that’s a post for another day.