11 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, 2002, at L.A.’s La Placita Olvera
Groups join hundreds of ex-braceros to back a bill banning U.S. and Mexican governments from denying them their money
Hundreds of elderly former bracero farm workers will join unions, Latino and community groups–including United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta–at an 11 a.m. news conference on Wednesday at La Placita Olvera (across from Union Station) in Los Angeles to support legislation by the Hispanic Caucus and other congressional leaders ensuring the federal government does not block a fair hearing of the braceros’ 60-year-old grievances. Under the bill, the U.S. and Mexican governments could not block a lawsuit allowing more than 400,000 Mexican farm workers who came to America’s aid during World War II to be paid hundreds of millions of dollars that they are owed.
As part the agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments that brought the men to America beginning in 1942, 10% of their wages were deducted from every paycheck, to be repaid upon their return to Mexico. The money was collected by the U.S. government, held by Wells Fargo Bank and transferred to Mexico. But six decades later the braceros, now all elderly men, still have not seen the refunds.
The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco federal court last year, charges the U.S. and Mexican governments as well as several banks with breach of contract, breach of trust and fiduciary duties, and unjust enrichment. It demands the return of the money that is owed.
On Wednesday, hundreds of braceros will gather in L.A. with backers to support U.S. Reps. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Sam Farr (D-Calif.) as well as members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus who are introducing legislation prohibiting the U.S. Justice Department from using the passage of time, claims of sovereign immunity and other technical issues to quash the lawsuit. Also at the L.A. event will be Huerta; Jonathan Rothstein, attorney for the braceros in the lawsuit; activists with Alianza Braceroproa; and leaders from the Service Employees International Union and National Council of La Raza.
Termed the Bracero Justice Act of 2002, to be introduced by Gutierrez and Farr, it would require the U.S. to defend the multi-million dollar case on its merits rather than argue the litigation should be dismissed based on statutes of limitations or sovereign immunity arguments. Similar legislation has been used to help address injustices suffered by other groups during World War II.
Huerta and UFW founder Cesar Chavez were among those lobbying Congress against the abuse-plagued bracero program in the 1950s and ’60s. It was finally ended in 1964.
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