Immigration Notes

Immigration

World Immigration Rates (2020)

  • Estimated 281 million international migrants in 2020.

  • This represents 3.6% of the global population.

  • Migration rates have generally increased over the past several decades and are projected to continue climbing.

  • Source: UN’s World Migration Report 2024.

US Immigration

  • Approximately 14% of the American population are immigrants, totaling around 48 million people.

  • Around 10 million of these immigrants are considered "unauthorized."

  • Approximately 8 million unauthorized immigrants are in the workforce.

  • Source: Pew Research Center.

Ethical Questions

  • Should individuals have the right to move to and live anywhere in the world?

  • Do states have a corresponding duty to honor such a right, or do they have a right to control who and how many come in?

David Miller’s Position

  • There is no general right to choose one’s country of residence or citizenship.

  • Nation-states may be justified in imposing restrictive immigration policies if they choose.

Different Kinds of Freedom?

  • Basic freedoms are those we are justified in claiming as a right.

  • Bare freedoms are nice to have but don’t have the same moral weight as basic freedoms.

Arguments in Defense of Immigration

  • Right to Freedom of Movement

  • Right to Exit (and corresponding right of entry)

  • Appeal to International Distributive Justice

Arguments For Limiting Immigration

  • Preserving Culture

  • Controlling Population Growth

Right to Asylum For Some

  • States should have broad autonomy over how to respond to asylum applications

  • States are entitled to consider the benefits a would-be migrant would contribute to the host nation, as well as the strength of the migrant’s claim

Michael Huemer’s Response

  • Everyone has the right to immigrate because all should be free from the threat of physical force, and restrictions on immigration involve harmful coercion.

Why Are Immigration Restrictions Immoral?

  • They are a prima facie rights violation involving “harmful coercion.”

  • A prima facie rights violation means that under normal circumstances (barring any special consideration) it’s a rights violation.

3 Considerations in Favour of Immigration Restrictions?

  • Protecting Domestic Jobs

  • State’s Duty to Its Own Citizens

  • Cultural Preservation

Debate Question

Should individuals have a right to move wherever they want in the world? Consider:

  • Does this also entail that states have a duty to let in whoever wishes to do so? Why/why not?

  • Are certain restrictions acceptable? What kinds? Why/why not?

  • Is the freedom of movement a bare or a basic right? Against what other rights might it conflict/need to be balanced?

  • Try to incorporate consideration of one or all of the ethical theories we looked at earlier in the course.