A February 16 story in the Bakersfield Californian is headed "Fresno To As. More Agents To Rout Wetbacks." Sidney Cruff. the chairman of the Fresno County board of supervisors. is quoted as saying: SThere is no doubt that every wetback at work in thecounty is keeping a citizen out of a job. A story in the Fresno Bee of February 17 reports that the county has formally appealed to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for a more vigorous program of deporting Mexican aliens to relieve the agricultural unemployment situation in that county. A letter addressed by the county board of supervisors to that Federal agency reads in part: The demand upon our county welfare department for general relief to employable but unemployed citizen agricultural workers is rising out of proportion to normal expectations. At the same time a rapid Increase in thefts. burglaries. and robberies may be traced to these destitute and needy people.
Identified stereotypes
Associating Mexican immigrants with increased thefts, burglaries, and robberies.