811.504 Mexico/472
The Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 10.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s despatch no. 17075 of April 18, 1944, and subsequent correspondence relating to the suggestion of the Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs for the holding of informal conversations with respect to border immigration problems, particularly the clandestine entrance of Mexican laborers into the United States, and to report that the conversations were held daily in the Foreign Office beginning May 29, 1944, and continuing up to and including June 2.
The discussions were conducted on a most friendly basis and with evident understanding on both sides of the mutual problems involved. On the last day the United States and Mexican participants signed a protocol (enclosures nos. 1 and 2)10 providing, in brief, as follows:
- (1)
- The Mexican delegates to recommend to their government the reinforcement of the Mexican border patrol in an attempt to prevent the illegal exodus of Mexican citizens, and the establishment of new passport regulations for the same object;
- (2)
- The American delegates to recommend to their government the reinforcement of the immigration service border patrol to complement the promised efforts of the Mexican authorities;
- (3)
- A joint recommendation that adequate publicity be given to the efforts of the two governments to prevent the illegal migration of persons of the laboring class;
- (4)
- The return to Mexican soil for documentation under the terms of the agreements for the recruitment of agricultural workers of the remnants of the 2,044 Mexicans who were admitted into the United States under Public Law no. 45 in May of 1943;
- (5)
- The return to Mexican soil of male Mexicans who entered and remain illegally in the United States, said number being estimated by the Mexican delegation at approximately 20,000, a figure accepted by the Americans only as a basis for discussion;
- (6)
- The suggestion that the Mexican Government enforce its restriction on the issuance of so-called Form No. 5–C, a document in lieu of a passport, to actual residents of border municipal districts who may wish to enter the United States as non-immigrants;
- (7)
- The American delegates to recommend to their government that its diplomatic and consular representatives in Mexico be instructed to issue visas to Mexican nationals in accordance with designations placed on their passports by the issuing authorities, i. e., whether for emigration or non-emigration purposes, such restriction being to assist the Mexican Government in controlling the travel of Mexicans.
The opening of the conversations was attended by the Ambassador, Mr. Herbert S. Bursley, Counselor of Embassy, Dr. Ezequiel Padilla, [Page 1315] Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Manuel Tello, Oficial Mayor of the Foreign Office. Dr. Padilla delivered a brief address of welcome (enclosure no. 3),11 in which, to the Embassy’s regret, the mention of racial discrimination was included. However, that question, while brought up on two occasions during the subsequent conversations, never became the subject of a major discussion.
The delegates were:
American: Mr. Earl G. Harrison, Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization; Mr. Joseph Savoretti, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization; Mr. Howard K. Travers, Chief of the Visa Division, Department of State; Mr. William G. MacLean, Division of Mexican Affairs, Department of State; Mr. G. C. Wilmoth, District Director of Immigration, El Paso, Texas; Mr. William P. Blocker, American Consul General, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico; Mr. George H. Winters, American Consul, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; Messrs. Raleigh A. Gibson and Maurice L. Stafford of the Embassy staff, Mexico City.
Mexican: Sr. Alfonso Guerra, Director General of Foreign Commerce and of the Consular Service, Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Sr. Alvaro Domínguez V., Vice Consul of the Mexican Foreign Service; Licenciado José Cándano, Private Secretary to the Under Secretary of Gobernación; Sr. Arcadio Ojeda García, Sub-Chief of the Department of Migration, Secretaría de Gobernación; Licenciado Marco Antonio Muñoz, Sub-Chief of the Department of Government, Secretaría de Gobernación, and Architect Jorge L. Medellín, Chief of the (Department) of Protection, Department of Labor.
It was announced that the Oficiales Mayores of the Foreign Office, Gobernación, and Labor, respectively Messrs. Manuel Tello, Dr. Héctor Pérez Martínez, and Licenciado Luis Padilla Nervo, and Licenciado Luis Fernández del Campo, of the Department of Labor, would also be considered as members of the Mexican delegation. Messrs. Tello, Padilla Nervo, and Fernández del Campo attended one session, that of the morning of June 1.
The presence of Messrs. Harrison, Travers, MacLean, Savoretti and Wilmoth and their tact and sympathetic understanding of Mexico’s problems constituted a predominant factor in the success of the conference which is considered to have had a beneficial effect upon the relations between members of the Embassy staff participating and the Mexicans with whom they have frequent contact.
Since the minutes of the daily sessions may have only limited interest, they are being transmitted in triplicate only (enclosure no. 4),11 Should the Department so desire, copies by the ozalid process will be prepared and submitted.
[Page 1316]The original signed Spanish and English texts also are attached as enclosures nos. 5 and 6, respectively.12 Similar signed texts, also in both languages, have been retained by the Mexican Foreign Office.
Respectfully yours,
American Consul General