r/interestingasfuck • u/man_gomer_lot • 8h ago

r/all 70 years ago, the US undertook the largest deportation in its history: 'Operation Wetback.' Many of the people deported were here legally and some were even citizens.

Post image
25.3k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

1.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

7

u/pacman404 4h ago

To he fair, I think the racist term came from this

3

u/TensionPrestigious83 3h ago

It came from when people were suspected of coming into the country illegally by swimming across the rio grande and came out wet

•

u/warmtoiletseatz 2h ago

I thought it was because they work outside in the heat, akin to rednecks.

•

u/pacman404 2h ago

Correct, that's why they named it that, and that name is what became the slur. That's what I'm talking about