Sacramento, CA – In a significant move to confront California’s painful past involvement in the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s, the Assembly has voted unanimously in favor of 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 Mexicans and 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, to confront this painful past and ensure it is integrated into our collective understanding of history. 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.
With the 95th anniversary of the beginning of the forced repatriation, 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.
“As we approach the 95th anniversary of the forced deportation order, most Americans don’t even know that this happened. It is critical now that we remember our past injustices so that we are not condemned to repeat them,” said Senator Becker. “SB 537 accomplishes this by moving us closer to constructing a proper memorialization of the Mexican Repatriation to honor the victims and spread awareness.”
“This memorial is a tribute to the resilience of our communities and a beacon of hope, offering an opportunity for learning, healing, and unity,” said Majority Leader Gonzalez. “It stands as a powerful repudiation of the harmful rhetoric that led to the unconstitutional deportation of countless Mexican American and Mexican families from their homes ninety-five years ago, so that it never happens again. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues in the Legislature for their support in advancing this initiative, and I look forward to seeing the Mexican Repatriation Memorial make its way out of the Senate and to the Governor's desk soon.”
The Assembly’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 previously received a unanimous vote in the Assembly Government Organizational Committee. It now returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote and then to the Governor for signature.