In 1942, the U.S. government, in cooperation with Mexico, enacted the Bracero Program to address World War II labor shortages in agriculture. The program allowed millions of Mexican men to work legally in the United States on short-term labor contracts until 1964. While it provided a vital labor source for American farms, braceros often faced poor working conditions, discrimination, and wage exploitation. The program's legacy includes its impact on immigration patterns and the establishment of a Mexican-American presence in the U.S. labor force.

The Bracero Program is a key subject in Chicano and Mexican-American literature, representing both the exploitation and resilience of Mexican laborers. The poetry and prose of figures like Luis Valdez and Tomás Rivera often touch on the experiences of braceros, exploring themes of migration, labor, and identity. The program's history is frequently used in contemporary literature to examine the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border and the lives of immigrant workers.