Punjabi-Mexican Marriages in California

Punjabi men who immigrated to California in the early 20th century ended up marrying Mexican women because of shared cultural similarities and legal constraints on interracial marriage. Lawmakers did not allow Punjabi women to immigrate to the United States with their male counterparts because they did not want to "spread" the Punjabi population in California. This led to a unique Punjabi-Mexican American community where elements of both cultures blended.