withdrew his troops. The United States and Mexico came toagreement with no harm done. Between 1949 and 1959 the number of Bracero's increased from 8,500 to 84,000. During the later stage of thisincrease opposition to the program also greatly increased. Farm workers union's greatly opposed the program anddemanded its termination. In 1960 opposition rose in Congress. The Kennedy Administration openly opposed the program.The program was ended in 1964. Mexico made last ditch efforts to restore the program, but in 1975 the Mexicangovernment finally realized the Bracero program was not its answer to its unemployment problems. The Third Phase of Mexican Immigration to the United States- Illegal Immigration The last stage of Mexican immigration starts right after the Bracero program. This stage is most notable for the mindboggling number of illegal Mexicans who cross the United States-Mexican border. "The most heavily traveled border inthe world is a strip of scrubby California desert [la frontera] that runs 15 miles between the United States andMexico, starting at the Pacific Ocean and ending at a thriving yet isolated spot called Otay Mesa" (Barich 50). The onlyplace along this strip representing a city is the infamous Tijuana. Every year 43 million people pass through its legalport of entry. Most illegal immigrants are men in their late teens to early 20's, although in the past few years it has become commonto spot whole families making the trip. Some make the trip many times in their lives, going back and forth. They make alittle money and take this money back to their homeland. These men are known as Nortenos (Northerners). They aresomewhat feared, and somewhat honored upon returning to their villages from the states. Illegal aliens come up with many different ways to enter the United States. "On a hot summer day they like to put onbathing suits . . . and swim to shore. They wade through raw sewage in the Tijuana River. They jam themselve...
