What was the purpose of the Bracero Program during World War II?

The Bracero Program was established during World War II primarily to address labor shortages in the United States, particularly in the agricultural sector. With many American workers enlisted in the military and fighting overseas, there was a significant need for laborers to ensure that farms could continue to produce food. The program facilitated the legal immigration of Mexican workers to the U.S. to fill these gaps.

By allowing these laborers, known as "braceros," to work on farms and in other essential sectors, the program enabled the U.S. to maintain its agricultural output during a critical time. This initiative not only met immediate labor needs but also set the foundation for significant Mexican-American labor relations in the decades that followed, highlighting the crucial role that immigrant labor played in American agriculture.