811.504 Mexico/237
The Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 14.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s instruction no. 4841 of November 26, 1943, stating that the War Food Administration has become concerned regarding the rapidly increasing repatriation of Mexican nationals before completion of their contracts. The Administration pointed out that large numbers of workers had been using various excuses to return home before the expiration of their contracts and had then promptly reappeared for recruitment in this capital for return to the United States for further employment under the agricultural agreement. The Department [Page 583] directed the Embassy to bring this matter to the attention of the Foreign Office here and also to arrive at an understanding that Mexican nationals, who have been granted leaves of absence to visit their families in Mexico, might return to the United States to complete their contracts without any charges being imposed by the Mexican Government for their re-entry.
As of December 1, the Embassy brought the above to the attention of Señor Manuel Tello, Oficial Mayor of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Señor Tello expressed himself as being in accord with the arrangements made whereby Mexican workers were granted leave of absence without pay and for their return to the United States. Señor Tello was informed orally as to the charges being made by Mexican immigration officials at border ports of entry and he said that he would look into this phase of the matter.
The Embassy has been shown a copy of instructions which have been issued to Mexican workers, agricultural and non-agricultural, in the United States by the representatives there of the Mexican Ministry of Labor. These instructions point out the increasing number of repatriations being demanded by the workers on flimsy excuses and states that these cannot be tolerated; that in the future workers who desire to be repatriated before the termination of their contracts may be so repatriated only on the most urgent personal family matters, such as illness or death and that such illness or death must be attested by a reputable physician in the home district of the worker and certified to by the competent Mexican civil authority. It is hoped that with the strict enforcement of these instructions the number of repatriations of which the War Food Administration is concerned will be considerably decreased.
Respectfully yours,
Second Secretary of Embassy