CSUF Scholar Contributes Mexican-American Deportation Histories to Center

Christine ValencianaMost of them were children. Children who were born in this country and were American citizens. And yet, these children, along with their families, were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to Mexico—simply because they were of Mexican descent.

Survivors of this illegal deportation—currently in their 70s and 80s—spoke before a group of about 350 people recently at Cal State Fullerton. They described what it was like to have their lives turned upside down based solely on their ethnicity. In total, it is estimated that 1-2 million Mexican-Americans were deported in the 1920-30s.

Christine Valenciana, an assistant professor of elementary and bilingual education, was always aware that her mother, as a child, had been deported to Mexico in 1935. What Valenciana didn't realize was that deportations were taking place across the nation during the Great Depression.

As a history major at Cal State Fullerton, she began conducting research about her mother's experience as part of a community history class. Valenciana soon came to realize that the deportations had occurred with alarming frequency. Ostensibly, those of Mexican descent were deported in order to free up jobs for "American" citizens, that is, those who weren't Mexican. Estimates now indicate that about 60 percent of those deported were children who were born in America.

"It was traumatic, of course," said Valenciana. "My mother was nine years old. She was born and lived in Los Angeles. Her dominant language was English although she knew rudimentary Spanish. Suddenly, she is removed from the only home she's known, taken out of her school and away from friends. She is sent to an unfamiliar country with a language and customs she doesn't understand. My mother was often forced to live outdoors and could not continue with school until she learned to read in Spanish."

It wasn't easier for the adults—Mexico was also going through a depression. Many of those who were deported had held jobs in America. They couldn't just pick up and start again.

"What happened to these citizens was unconstitutional," said Valenciana. "That's why we are holding programs such as the one at Cal State Fullerton and trying to get the word out. We think it's time for the state to apologize for their actions."

Hear excerpts from Valenciana's work. According to Director Art Hansen, these tapes are the most widely
requested documents in the collection. end of story