Between 1910 and 1930, the first major wave of Mexican immigration to the United States occurred, with the number of Mexican immigrants tripling from 200,000 to over 600,000. This surge was driven by the violence of the Mexican Revolution and the demand for labor in the U.S. Southwest. Many Mexicans fled the turmoil in their homeland, seeking safety and economic opportunity across the border. This period established the foundation for a lasting Mexican-American community and shaped the demographics of the American Southwest.

The first major wave of Mexican immigration is a foundational theme in Chicano literature, with writers like John Rechy and Luis Valdez chronicling the lives of Mexican immigrants and their descendants. The poetry of the Chicano Movement, in particular, explores the themes of migration, labor, and cultural identity. The experiences of this era are central to the work of Sandra Cisneros and other contemporary authors who examine the borderlands and the Mexican-American experience.