[Jamo]

Roscoe...that was the bracero program, which ended in the 60s, and which resulted in increased illegal entries. Essentially, they got paid half of their wages, and the other half was deposited in Mexican banks, which they could draw from only when they returned to Mexico. Worked great for several decades. Some old braceros who became citizens (went through the normal channels like anyone else) sued the Mexican banks recently for never giving them their money.

The bracero program was the forerunner to the current versions of guest worker programs, which are used in various parts of the US. For example, Goergia growers bring in folks from Jamaca to harvest tree fruit under such programs. Western Ag interests want similar programs so that they won't have to rely on illegals...that's called AgJobs, and it is still fought over as part of the overall immigration debate even though it has nothing to do with the immigration laws or amnesty themselves.

As it proved in the decades before it was stopped in the 60s, the bracero-type guest worker programs make illegal entry unnecessary and insure that folks don't stay here after the work is completed.