In view of these high rates of rural unemployment and underemployment. it seems clear that many jobs now filled by braceros could be performed by domestic farmworkers. In fact. studies indicate that some of this unemployment and underemployment is directly related to the bracero program. A 1959 USDA survey of southern Texas migrant farmworkers revealed that these migrants worked an average of 131 days during 1956 and were unemployed for 70 days. Male heads of households worked an average of 174 days and were unemployed for 89 days. I would add here that there is good reason to believe that many of these Texas workers join the migrant stream northward. because of the importation of Mexican workers into areas that would normally be their yearround homes. When this occurs. there is real damage to their wages and job opportunities. they have no choice but to move away from their home area to search for work. It has been said by some opponents of reform of Public Law 78. that domestic workers will not accept the bracero type jobs no matter what is done to improve their working conditions.
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migrants migrant