Some fact checking on deportations throughout U.S. history

Myron Dudek (Fence Post, July 10) wrote that Hoover ordered all illegal aliens be deported to make jobs available during the depression; Truman deported over 2 million illegals after World War II to create job openings for veterans; Eisenhower in 1954 deported 13 million illegals so that World War II and Korean War veterans would have jobs.

Unfortunately, the information Mr. Dudek states as fact comes from a bogus e-mail that distorts history. This same e-mail has been circulating for years. You can visit Factcheck.org (http://www.factcheck.org/2010/07/hoover-truman-ike-mass-deporters/) to read the complete article about the research done to check the veracity of that e mail:

"Hoover did not use immigration policy to 'create jobs' and never 'ordered the deportation of all illegal aliens.' During his four-year presidency, roughly 121,000 persons were officially deported or induced to leave through threat of deportation, according to our analysis of official statistics."

• "Truman did not try to 'create jobs for returning veterans' by ordering deportations. In fact, he signed legislation protecting the rights of Mexican migrant laborers recruited legally to help harvest U.S. crops, and was unable to win congressional approval of measures to crack down on employers of illegal immigrants. During his nearly eight years in office, about 3.4 million were deported or left 'voluntarily' under threat of deportation."

• "Eisenhower did not deport 13 million Mexicans. Only one-tenth that number was ever claimed by the federal officials in charge of 'Operation Wetback,' and even that figure is criticized as inflated by guesswork. Officially, just over 2.1 million were recorded as having been deported or having departed under threat of deportation."

Immigration policy is an important, volatile issue. Before tossing around facts and figures we should do our best to make sure that what we state as fact is indeed correct.

Dennis Reynolds

Glen Ellyn