Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2005

Publication Title

International Journal of Applied Philosophy

First Page

45

Last Page

61

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/ijap20051912

Abstract

Our main thesis is that the U.S. has a duty of justice to adopt an open border policy with regard to economic migrants because it is significantly responsible for the unjust social and economic conditions that bring such migrants to its borders. From this perspective, President Bush’s recent “guest worker” proposal is morally objectionable because it is designed more to serve U.S. business interests than the interests of the migrants. We address three objections to opening borders: it will worsen the economic condition especially of low-skilled native workers; it will harm developing countries by increasing the so-called “brain drain”; and it is preferable to discharge our responsibility to the global poor by increasing development assistance instead of adopting an open borders policy.

Rights

This article was archived with permission from The Philosophy Documentaion Center, all rights reserved. Document also available from the International Journal of Applied Philosophy .

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