Woody Guthrie's song "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)" remains a powerful tribute to the human cost of deportation policies. Written in response to the 1948 plane crash that killed dozens of Mexican workers, Guthrie brought attention to the dehumanizing language used to describe those on board.
Eighty years later, the same rhetoric is being repeated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with devastating consequences. A recent social media post honoring a deportation officer killed in the crash described the victims as "illegal Mexican aliens," sparking widespread outrage and accusations of dehumanization.
Author Tim Z. Hernandez, who has spent years uncovering the identities of those on board, believes that this latest incident is all too familiar. "True to form of this administration, they are pulling from old rhetoric as a way to justify what they're doing today," he said. By using words like "alien" and "illegal," Hernandez argued, ICE is attempting to strip its targets of their humanity.
Guthrie's song was more than just a protest against deportation policies; it was also an attempt to humanize those who were often reduced to mere statistics or stereotypes. The victims' stories – including the names of some of the individuals on board – are being reclaimed and honored by Hernandez's work, and the ongoing efforts of advocates for immigrant rights.
As the anniversary of the plane crash approaches, locals and descendants of the victims gather at a memorial site in Fresno, California, to pay tribute. For Hernandez, this annual gathering is a poignant reminder that even years after the tragedy, the stories and lives lost continue to matter.
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. Now, it's fighting for press freedom in defending democracy in the face of an unprecedented assault by Donald Trump's administration. To do this effectively, The Intercept needs your support.
Eighty years later, the same rhetoric is being repeated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with devastating consequences. A recent social media post honoring a deportation officer killed in the crash described the victims as "illegal Mexican aliens," sparking widespread outrage and accusations of dehumanization.
Author Tim Z. Hernandez, who has spent years uncovering the identities of those on board, believes that this latest incident is all too familiar. "True to form of this administration, they are pulling from old rhetoric as a way to justify what they're doing today," he said. By using words like "alien" and "illegal," Hernandez argued, ICE is attempting to strip its targets of their humanity.
Guthrie's song was more than just a protest against deportation policies; it was also an attempt to humanize those who were often reduced to mere statistics or stereotypes. The victims' stories – including the names of some of the individuals on board – are being reclaimed and honored by Hernandez's work, and the ongoing efforts of advocates for immigrant rights.
As the anniversary of the plane crash approaches, locals and descendants of the victims gather at a memorial site in Fresno, California, to pay tribute. For Hernandez, this annual gathering is a poignant reminder that even years after the tragedy, the stories and lives lost continue to matter.
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. Now, it's fighting for press freedom in defending democracy in the face of an unprecedented assault by Donald Trump's administration. To do this effectively, The Intercept needs your support.
just read about how dehumanizing immigration policies can be and it's making me so sad 
... like 80 yrs after that plane crash Woody Guthrie wrote about & now they're still using the same language 
'illegal Mexican aliens' is not a description, it's an attack on ppl's humanity 
ICE needs to do better 
Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) was always a powerful song about human life, not just some statistics or labels. And now ICE is doing the same thing? It's like history repeats itself 
We need to keep bringing up these stories and giving them names, so we don't forget what's really going on. It's not just about being PC, it's about treating people with dignity 
It's like, so not okay! Deportee is such a powerful song and I'm glad Tim Z. Hernandez is keeping the victims' stories alive. The Intercept is doing amazing work too, fighting for press freedom and democracy 
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. It's so sad that something like a plane crash from 1948 is still being referenced in such a hurtful way - shouldn't we be learning from history instead of repeating its mistakes? 
I'm so over how everything that's old is suddenly deemed cool again... like this "Deportee" song being revisited because it's convenient for ICE to use the same rhetoric they used back in 1948 
. It just makes me think, why are we still dealing with this stuff? The song itself was powerful, I get that, but the message is getting watered down and rehashed to fit whatever agenda we're trying to push today 
. Can't we learn from history without having to rehash the same old problems? 
I'm still shocked by how similar the language used to describe those on board is 80 years later 
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The fact that Hernandez's work is helping to reclaim the stories of those on board is amazing, but it's crazy that we still have to fight for that kind of thing. We should be honoring their memories by being more compassionate and understanding towards others, not using language that makes them sound like monsters 
. Can't they see how hurtful and dehumanizing those words are? And what's with the memorial site in Fresno, California? That's just a reminder of how far we've regressed when it comes to treating people with dignity and respect 
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just saw this article about Woody Guthrie's song "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)" and I'm still shook 
. The Intercept is doing amazing work in defending democracy, can we please support them? 
it's so important to humanize ppl who r often reduced to stats or stereotypes 
let's keep spreading awareness & supporting advocates for immigrant rights 
, it humanizes the victims beyond stats 
need more stories like hernandez's work to reclaim lives lost 
2025 should be a year of empathy & understanding 
anyway, its good 2 see people like tim z hernandez keeping the stories of these victims alive and fighting 4 their rights 
Using words like "alien" and "illegal" is not only hurtful but also completely inaccurate. It's like, hello, these are human beings with names, stories, and families! 
We need more people like Hernandez and journalists at The Intercept fighting for truth and justice! 
Can't we just treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their immigration status? 
can't believe this is still happening 80 yrs later