258 WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION

The Cuairman. Do you yourself vote?
Mr. Garza. Yes, sir; I am an American citizen.
The Cramrman. Proceed.
Mr. Garza. I can prove my statement that many Mexicans,
especially those who have resided in this country for many years, are
under the impression that after they reside in this country for a certain
number of years they automatically become American citizens by
saying that many of them have been deported since the new immigration
 law came into effect on that account.
The Cuamrman. To which act do you refer? .
Mr. Garza. They are under the impression all the time that they
are American citizens, but they have been caught here and sent back.
The CrairMaN.. You must be wrong—how long do they have to
live here before they get the impression thev are citizens of the
United States? co
Mr. Garza. I refer to those people who have been living here from
25 to 40 years.
The Caamman. They are not being deported, are they?
Mr. Garza. Some of them are.
The CuairMaN. Why are they being deported?
Mr. Garza. It is through the examination. They entangle thems
selves in such a way that they are deported.
The Cuamrman. If they have been here five years and have not
been convicted of certain crimes, the statute of limitation has run
in their favor, and they are not deportable. - You must refer to some
of these people who go back to Mexico and then find they can not
return here without paying the head tax and visa fee. They are
not deported, but they find after leaving the United States that
they can not return.
Mr. Garza. In many cases in my part of the country they entangle
themselves in such a way that they admit they have been across the
river since 1921 and therefore they are deported.
The CuarrMaN. You probably refer to the immigration act of 1924.
Mr. Garza. Yes. Another reason is that conditions have been
such in the past that the Mexican citizen thought he would be better
off by retaining his citizenship. Another reason I have found is
that the Mexican people have not been able to distinguish between a
racial extraction and citizenship. In other words, they think that
regardless of the citizenship they are Mexicans, but thanks to the
efforts of our league, with the cooperation of thé school superintendents
 and the local city and county officials, the Mexican people, regardless
 of citizenship, are now beginning to see a new future. Gentlemen,
 I sincerely think that you have not the least idea how well this
thing is working in the minds of the Mexican people. They all love
this country. The only set back has been, as 1 have said before, they
have not been given the same opportunities in the past.
You understand, gentlemen, that these Mexicans have not had the
opportunity like other races. They have not been encouraged to work
for and look forward to higher and better things in life, but now we
are working in this legal way, teaching those people patriotism and
citizenship and encouraging them to educate themselves so that they
may not only make a better living but they may make a more sub-