December 3, 1941: I have been reading old newspapers for years and very little about Los Angeles history surprises me anymore, but this one amazed me.

To reduce the welfare rolls, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approves paying $100 [$1,441.19 USD 2009] to immigrants to move back to Mexico. Families were to receive $10 a month for 10 months either through the Mexican government or the U.S. consul, The Times said.

[Update, Dec. 5, 2010, 3:57 p.m.: A headline and previous version of this post said payments would be offered to illegal immigrants. Further research in The Times’ clips shows that in 1941, legal and illegal immigrants were apparently eligible for relief (see the above story from March 15, 1941, in which the state Legislature tried to ban welfare to illegal immigrants). However, it appears that payments were to be offered to all immigrants, regardless of legal status.]

The story is on the jump.