Watched the movie with Tom Berenger about the San Patricios two days ago. The San Patricios were a group of Irish men that deserted the American Army because of the racism against them by non-Catholics and American born soldiers. In on scene, a guy is on a city street, holding a newspaper with an article decrying about how the Irish are stealing jobs from real Americans. How ironic when you read and hear the comments of the illegals coming over now. I know, "it's different" than back then.
John Casas wrote a book "Federico Villalba's Texas". It is about Federico Villalba, immigrated to the Big Bend area of Texas in the early 1900's. Federico Villalba was my great-uncle and John Casas is his great-grandson. My aunt, sister of my father, 98 years old, remembers the family and my great-uncle. It is available from Iron Mountain Press and Barnes and Noble carries it. Good reading.
My father's family in the mid-1800's used to farm in the Big Bend country and return to Mexico for the winter. In 1870, my great-grandfather decided to stay in Texas. My grandfather was two years old, born in Mexico. The stories of racism in Texas against Mexicans, born here or Mexico are endless. From this family, we have family members serving the US military and fighting in every war since WWI.