In 1916, the United States initiated a controversial practice of subjecting Mexican border-crossers to kerosene and vinegar baths. This measure was taken out of fear that Mexicans could bring diseases like typhus and tuberculosis into the country. The use of these chemicals in the baths would later draw parallels to the methods employed by Nazis during the Holocaust.
Prior to the 1920s, crossing the southern border was not heavily regulated and was not considered illegal. Many domestic workers and farm laborers freely traveled between Mexico and the United States. However, the Mexican Revolution, which began in 1910 and continued until 1917, caused a significant increase in immigration at the border. This influx of migrants fueled animosity and xenophobia among some white Americans living along the border, exacerbated by the patriotism and paranoia prevalent during World War I.
In the city of El Paso, Texas, tensions were particularly high. The newly-elected mayor, Thomas Calloway Lea Jr., propagated racist fears of “dirty lousey destitute Mexicans” spreading diseases like typhus. In response, he demanded the implementation of a quarantine in 1916. Despite opposition from local Public Health Service Officer Dr. B.J. Lloyd, who believed the risk of disease transmission was low, disinfection stations were set up in El Paso. At these stations, Mexican border-crossers were inspected, stripped naked, and subjected to a chemical bath involving kerosene, soap, water, and sometimes toxic pesticides. Women suspected of having lice had their hair treated with vinegar and kerosene. These disinfection stations eventually appeared along the entire US-Mexico border.
News of the disinfection process spread throughout Mexico, causing fear and rumors among migrants. Some believed that people would be burned to death in the kerosene baths, especially after a tragedy occurred when someone lit a match in a disinfection station, resulting in the death of 25 bathers. Women also feared being photographed naked during the baths.
Amidst this environment, 17-year-old Carmelita Torres refused to undergo the bath. When officials prevented her from proceeding and refused to refund her trolley fare, she began protesting. Other women joined her, leading to a three-day protest known as the Bath Riots. Despite her courageous act, Torres’ legacy has largely been forgotten. Shortly after the protests, the US government implemented new laws, such as literacy tests, head taxes, and passport requirements, to restrict immigration.
The use of kerosene baths and disinfection stations became a staple of border control until the 1950s, expanding to include pesticides like DDT. As for Carmelita Torres, she was arrested during the protests, and her fate remains unknown.
Mayor Lea, known for suppressing Mexican voices, ordered the suspension of Spanish-language newspapers published in El Paso and briefly joined the Ku Klux Klan. His actions reflected the deep-seated fear and prejudice against poor Mexicans and their perceived role in spreading diseases. While there were concerns about Mexicans bringing typhus across the border, tuberculosis was actually prevalent among Americans at the time. El Paso, with its dry and warm climate, became a popular destination for tuberculosis treatment, but Lea shifted the blame onto Mexicans.
The kerosene baths targeted people based on their class and skin complexion. Those from middle-class backgrounds, like Levya’s mother, were often exempt from the baths, highlighting the discriminatory nature of the practice. The baths reinforced the notion that poor and dark-skinned individuals were considered more dangerous.
The use of kerosene baths led to numerous catastrophes. In 1916, a fire caused by a lit match in a disinfection station resulted in the death of dozens of inmates. This event, known as the “jail Holocaust,” further fueled fear and resistance among Mexicans and Mexican Americans living along the border. The frustration culminated in the Bath Riots led by Carmelita Torres, who protested against the humiliating and degrading treatment.
One month after the protests, the US government passed the Immigration Act of 1917, which established a “barred” zone and imposed restrictions on various groups, including those with tuberculosis. However, as the US entered World War I, the need for contract laborers increased, leading to the introduction of programs like the Bracero program in the 1950s.
The history of the kerosene baths serves as a reminder of the discrimination and mistreatment faced by Mexican immigrants at the US-Mexico border. It highlights the racial prejudices and fears that shaped immigration policies and practices during that time.
