cross-posted from The Dream Antilles
This is absolutely infuriating. The New York Times reports on the struggle of former Mexican farm workers, some in the 80’s and 90’s, to obtain refunds from the Mexican Government of 10% of their wages that were withheld when they worked in the US under the bracero program:
FRESNO, Calif. – Here comes Abraham Franco now, 86 years old, skin leathery and bronzed from decades of work in the fields, slowly bending his small but sturdy frame into a metal chair at a faux wood office table at the Mexican Consulate here.
He still could not quite believe the news: Decades after working as a bracero, as thousands of Mexican guest farm workers were called in a program from 1942 to 1964, the Mexican government had recently agreed to a one-time payment, $3,500, of long overdue withheld wages.
The braceros are fading fast, some pushing or over 90, and are ever reliant on family and friends to get by.
Join me in the lettuce fields with Sr. Franco.