Editing Bracero Program (section)

== Origins and purpose ==
The program, which was designed to fill agriculture shortages during World War II, offered employment contracts to 4.6 million braceros<ref>https://braceroarchive.org/about</ref> in 24 U.S. states. It was the largest [[guest worker program]] in U.S. history.<ref name="Calavita-1992" />

The program was the result of a series of laws and diplomatic agreements, initiated on August 4, 1942, when the United States signed the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement with [[Mexico]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://braceroarchive.org/about|title=Bracero History Archive {{!}} About|website=braceroarchive.org|access-date=2019-10-11}}</ref> The program was jointly managed by the U.S. State Department, Department of Labor, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Under the agreement, braceros were promised fair treatment, including:

* Adequate living conditions (shelter, food, and sanitation),
* A minimum wage of 30 cents per hour,
* Protection from being drafted into military service,
* A requirement that a portion of their wages be saved in accounts in Mexico.

Workers were also legally protected against discrimination, including being excluded from whites-only areas. The program also allowed the importation of contract laborers from Guam as a temporary measure during the early phases of [[World War II]].<ref>{{Cite web |title = Bracero Program |url = https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/omb01 |website = tshaonline.org |access-date = December 2, 2015 |last = Koestler |first = Fred L. }}</ref>