A new exhibition at Sacramento's California Museum, titled “Help Wanted / Leave Now,” delves into the infamous ‘Operation Wetback’ of 1954. This campaign, under President Eisenhower, aimed to deport millions of undocumented Mexican workers.
The show features research by Juan Garcia, a retired history professor emeritus from the University of Arizona. His family’s story, which includes his father’s abrupt move with nine children to Chicago, adds a personal touch to the historical debate.
In collaboration with historians and labor rights activist Dolores Huerta, the bilingual exhibition runs from August 13, 2026, through January 10, 2027. “Wetback” was a derogatory term used for undocumented immigrants crossing into the US via the Rio Grande.
The display aims to shed light on one of the US's most notorious operations, highlighting the complex and often harsh realities faced by Mexican immigrants in America’s past.
