The Mexican American Experience, a radio program produced by the Longhorn Radio Network, includes interviews, music, and informational programs related to the Mexican American community and their concerns. Program summary: Linda Fregoso interviews Albert Camarillo on the history of barrios in California and speaks with Estevan Flores about his study on undocumented families in Houston, Texas. Camarillo's research traces the origins of the barrios in California to the 19th century pueblos that became part of the United Sates after the Mexican American war. He argues that Chicano political marginalization similarly traces to this time, when Anglos began to take over local politics. He explains that there has always been a lot of diversity within barrios between newcomers from Mexico and those who had lived in California since the 1700s. Camarillo then discusses the various settlement patterns and relations between Mexican and Chicano communities. Estevan Flores updates the conversation to look at the contemporary situation of undocumented families in Houston, Texas. He discusses the results of a study he participated in, which interviewed undocumented families to determine their impact on the economy. The study found that immigrants constituted a net gain to the economy since their purchases were taxed and few if any used social services. He further argues that immigrants are not taking jobs from citizens because they often perform work many do not want to do and in sectors, like construction, which have a surplus of jobs. Flores would like to see legislation that permitted children born in the U.S. to petition for legal residency for their parents and an increased quota for immigrants from Mexico. While he does not believe amnesty is politically feasible in the current political climate, he would like to see all immigrants given their full constitutional rights. Keywords: 1848, 19th Century Mexican immigration, Amnesty Programs, Barrios, Carter administration, Chicano Political Power, Chicanos, Chicanos in a Changing Society, Chicanos in Politics, Chicanos in the Labor Force, Children, Cholos, Education for the Children of Undocumented Workers, Family Size, Great Depression, Gulf Coast Legal Defense Fund, Houston, Texas, Illegal Alien, Immigrant Rights, Immigration, Immigration Quotas, Impact of Undocumented Workers on Labor Markets, Impact of Undocumented Workers on the Economy, Jimmy Carter, Leonel Castillo, Los Angeles, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Mexican American War, Mexican Americans, Mexicanos, Mexicanos and Chicanos, Mutual aid societies, Mutualistas, National Association of Chicano Studies, Pan American Universities, Pocho, Political marginalization, Public education, Pueblos, Refugees, Santa Barbara, Segregation, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Undocumented Families, Undocumented Immigrants. Broadcast date: 1980-05-17.
Creator/Contributor:
Longhorn Radio Network (creator), Fregoso, Rosa Linda. (host), Camarillo, Albert. (interviewee), and Flores, Estevan T. (interviewee)
Date Created/Date Issued:
5/10/1980
Owning Repository:
Benson Latin American Collection, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, The University of Texas at Austin
sound recordings, grabaciones sonoras, radio programs, programas de radio, and Audio
Extent:
25 minutes, 16 seconds
Rights - Use and Reproduction:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Language:
English
Place of Publication:
Austin (Tex.)
Topic:
Mexican Americans, Emigration and immigration law, Ley de emigración e inmigración, Children of noncitizens--Education, Noncitizen labor--Economic aspects, and Noncitizen labor--Social conditions
Time Period Covered:
19th century and siglo XIX
Place Name:
Houston (Tex.), Texas, Los Angeles (Calif.), San Diego (Calif.), and Santa Barbara (Calif.)