Posted on April 30 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Who are we to talk about "doing the proper thing?" Read on...

President Grant on the Mexican-American War: "For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation."

President Polk on the Mexican-American War: "I stated that if the war should be protracted for any considerable time, it would in my judgment be very important that the United States should hold military possession of California at the time peace was made, and I declared my purpose to be to acquire for the United States, California, New Mexico, and perhaps some others of the Northern Provinces of Mexico whenever a peace was made."

The US House of Representatives on the Mexican-American War: It was a war “unnecessarily and unconstitutionally begun by the President of the United States”

Col. Stephen Kearny said to the townfolk in Las Vegas, NM during the Mexican-American War: I have come amongst you by the orders of my government, to take possession of your country, and extend over it the laws of the United States. We consider it, and have done so for some time, a part of the territory of the United States. We come amongst you as friends--not as enemies; as protectors--not as conquerors. We come among you for you benefit--not for your injury.

"Henceforth, I absolve you from all allegiance to the Mexican government...I shall not expect you to take up arms and follow me, to fight your own people, who may oppose me; But listen! he who promises to be quiet, and is found in arms against me, I will hang!"

During the Bracero Program of the 1940s where we contracted with Mexico for labor because all able-bodied men were fighting in Europe, Mexico tried to demand that wages be $3.00/100 lbs of Cotton vice $2.50, the DOL and INS passed word that the border was open. Illegal immigrants crossed the river and the border patrol gave them rides to the cotton fields.

During the 1930s The Mexican Repatriation Act resulted in 500,000 Mexicans being sent to Mexico, 250,000 of which were American citizens. The non-citizens were simply deported. The citizens who weren't just deported were coerced, threatened and misled.

Mr. Kelley, an official of the Immigration Service, said “We do feel we have the authority to permit to remain in the US aliens who are here as agricultural workers whether they are here legally or not.”

Charles P. Visel, the director of the Los Angeles Citizens Committee on the Coordination of Unemployment Relief to William N. Doak, Secretary of Labor, saying, “the exodus of aliens deportable and otherwise who have been scared out of the community has undoubtedly left many jobs which have been taken up by other persons (not deportable) and citizens of the US and our municipality. The exodus still continues.”

On Chattanooga: Community gathers to support families of Pilgrim’s Pride detainees