Sacramento, CA – In a significant move to confront California’s painful past involvement in the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s, the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization has voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 537 (SB 537) authored by Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park). This decisive vote represents a pivotal moment to secure justice and recognition for a dark chapter in American history.
SB 537 calls for a state commemoration in the form of a statue or other appropriate memorialization of the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s—a period of forced deportations and injustices that devastated hundreds of thousands of Mexican and Mexican-American families and left a lasting scar on the community that continues to this day.
The Mexican Repatriation was a devastating episode of forced migration and racial discrimination that unjustly targeted Mexican-Americans and left enduring legacies of trauma and displacement. It is the only occurrence of a forced deportation of citizens and non-citizens based on race and implemented through Presidential orders. It is essential for California, a state with a rich Mexican-American heritage, ensure that this history is integrated into our collective understanding. Recognizing this period with a statue or other commemoration is not just about acknowledging past wrongs but about fostering justice, education, and reconciliation for future generations.
“As we approach the 95th anniversary of the forced deportation order, most Americans don’t even know that this happened. SB 537 underscores the urgent need for the state of California to formally recognize the Mexican Repatriation by calling for the construction of a statue or other memorial to shed light on the injustices suffered and ensuring such a historical travesty is never forgotten,” said Becker. “SB 537 accomplishes this by moving us closer to constructing a proper memorialization of the victims of the Mexican Repatriation and the generational harm it inflicted.”
“With today’s vote the Mexican Repatriation Memorial is getting closer to becoming a reality,” said Majority Leader Gonzalez. “We need to remember this dark chapter in our history to avoid repeating past mistakes and to support justice and healing for Mexican American families and all Latinos. We need to challenge the harmful, discriminatory rhetoric that led to the unjust removal of so many hardworking families ninety-five years ago. Contrary to the false narratives of the past, we know that Latinos are an economic powerhouse in our state and deserve our recognition and full support. I’m grateful for my Assembly colleagues’ backing and excited to see the bill advance.”
The Assembly Committee's decision underscores the broad consensus on the importance of confronting California’s dark past, ushering in renewed healing for victims, and educating people so that this history does not repeat itself again. The bill now advances to the full Assembly for further consideration.