Downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Forced Removal of Mexican Americans

During The Great Depression

Photographed By Craig Baker, October 24, 2019

1. Forced Removal of Mexican Americans Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Beginning in 1929, government authorities and certain private sector entities in California and throughout the United States undertook an aggressive program to forcibly remove persons of Mexican ancestry from the United States. In California alone, approximately 400,000 American citizens and legal residents of Mexican ancestry were forced to leave and go to Mexico. In total, an estimated 2 million people of Mexican ancestry were forcibly relocated to Mexico. Approximately 1.2 million of these people were United States citizens born in the United States.

Throughout California, including areas in downtown Los Angeles near this monument, massive raids were conducted in Mexican American communities. These raids targeted persons of Mexican ancestry and indiscriminately characterized these persons as "illegal aliens" even when they were United States citizens or legal residents. These raids resulted in the clandestine removal of thousands of people, many of whom were never able to return to the United States, denied their right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the American dream in their country of birth.

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As publicly acknowledged by the California State Legislature in California Government Code §8722 (2005), the State of California apologizes to those individuals that were victims of this "repatriation" program for the fundamental violations of their basic civil liberties and constitutional rights committed during the period of illegal deportation and coerced emigration.

Dedicated on February 26, 2012 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

Expulsión Forzada de los México-Americanos Durante La Gran Depresión
Iniciando en 1929, autoridades gubernamentales así como ciertas entidades del sector privado en California y a lo largo de los Estados Unidos, emprendieron un programa agresivo para expulsar de los Estados Unidos, por fuerza, a personas de ascendencia mexicana. Sólo en California, aproximadamente 400 mil ciudadanos estadounidenses y residentes legales de ascendencia mexicana fueron forzados a salir del país e irse a México. Se calcula que a nivel nacional, un total de 2 millones de personas de ascendencia mexicana sufrieron una relocalización forzosa a México, de los cuales aproximadamente 1.2 millones eran ciudadanos estadounidenses nacidos en los Estados Unidos.

A lo largo de California, incluyendo zonas en el centro de Los Ángeles cerca de este monumento, se llevaron acabo redadas masivas en las comunidades méxico-americanas.

Photographed By Craig Baker, October 24, 2019

2. Forced Removal of Mexican Americans Marker

Estas redadas fueron dirigidas hacia personas de ascendencia mexicana quienes indiscriminadamente fueron categorizadas como "inmigrantes ilegales" aún cuando eran ciudadanos estadounidenses o residentes legales. Estas redadas resultaron en la expulsión clandestina de miles de personas, muchas de las cuales nunca pudieron regresar a los Estados Unidos, negándoles así su derecho a la vida, la libertad, y la búsqueda de la felicidad, y al sueño americano en el mismo país de su nacimiento.

Tal y como ha sido reconocido públicamente por la legislatura estatal de California en el código gubernamental de California §8722 (2005), el estado de California pide disculpas a todas aquellas personas que fueron víctimas de este programa de "repatriación” por las violaciones fundamentales de sus libertades civiles básicas y sus derechos constitucionales cometidas durante el período de deportación ilegal y emigración forzada.

Dedicado el día 26 de Febrero de 2012 en LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Los Ángeles, California.

Erected 2012 by LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Hispanic Americans.

Location. 34° 3.42′ N, 118° 14.39′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California

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, in Los Angeles County. It is in Downtown Los Angeles. Marker can be reached from Main Street north of California Route 101, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 501 N Main Street, Los Angeles CA 90012, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles (within shouting distance of this marker); Historic Los Angeles Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles (within shouting distance of this marker); The Annunciation Mosaic (within shouting distance of this marker); El Camino Real (within shouting distance of this marker); El Pueblo (within shouting distance of this marker); Yangna (within shouting distance of this marker); Villavicencio (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

More about this marker. The marker is located between the church and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. The cultural center celebrates the history and culture of Mexican Americans in Los Angeles, open from noon to 5 pm, closed Tuesdays and holidays, free admission.

Also see . . . LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. (Submitted on October 25, 2019.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 256 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 25, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.