U.S. and Mexico Sign the Bracero Program Agreement

Mexican braceros standing in line with luggage at a U.S. processing center during the 1940s.

What Happened?

With American workers off fighting in World War II, U.S. farms faced a critical labor shortage. In response, the U.S. and Mexico signed the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement on August 4, 1942, launching the Bracero Program. 'Bracero' comes from the Spanish word for 'arm,' reflecting the manual labor these men provided—mostly in agriculture and railroad work.

On paper, the program promised decent wages, fair housing, and protection from discrimination. In reality, braceros were underpaid, overcrowded, exposed to harmful chemicals, and routinely mistreated. Food was meager, wages were often stolen, and many laborers never received the retirement funds promised to them.

Over 4.6 million contracts were issued over 22 years. The program helped feed the nation and boosted remittances to Mexican families—but also entrenched a system of racialized, disposable labor. While some braceros returned home, many stayed, forming the roots of immigrant communities that still thrive today.

The Bracero Program ended in 1964, but its legacy lives on. It gave rise to a generation of workers who would fuel labor activism—including Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. It also shaped the political and social tensions around immigration that continue to dominate headlines. Behind the label on your produce lies a history of arms, sweat, and struggle.

Why It Matters

The Bracero Program didn’t just import labor—it exposed the deep contradictions between American ideals and economic practices. It reveals how migrant workers have long been essential to U.S. agriculture, even as they are marginalized and mistreated. The story of the braceros is one of resilience and resistance—a story that connects past to present, and farm fields to fights for justice.

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