Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The American Republics, Volume VII

811.504 Mexico/418

The Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith) to the Secretary of State

No. 17075

México, D.F., April 18, 1944.
[Received April 24.]

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a translation of a note dated April 17, 1944,³ from the Mexican Foreign Minister, suggesting the desirability of informal conversations between immigration officials of our two countries with respect to border immigration problems. Mexican officials are becoming increasingly concerned over the number of Mexican nationals illegally entering the United States for the purpose of seeking employment. (Reference Department’s note of March 15 to Mexican Embassy; File No. 811.504 Mexico/341.)⁴

It will be noted that the Foreign Minister suggests that such conversations might well include the question of the 2,000 Mexican farm workers who entered the United States under Section 5(g) of Public Law 45 during the first two weeks in May 1944, and who are the subject of the Department’s instruction no. 5468 of March 21, 1944. It may be added that it is believed no opposition will be raised by the Mexican authorities to the documentation of the labor under the existing Agricultural Workers’ Agreement.

Respectfully yours,

For the Ambassador:

S. E. O’Donoghue

Second Secretary of Embassy

3. Not printed.
4. In its note of March 15 the Department informed the Mexican Embassy that the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service was taking all steps possible, consonant with the manpower situation, to apprehend the illegal entrants and return them to Mexico.