Immigration Ethics

Ethics is a constantly debated subject. There seems to be many views and contradicting theories on what is and is not considered ethical behavior. Even the major theories of ethics leave us with no definite answers to moral dilemmas facing our world.

The United States and countless other countries are constantly struggling to define the ethical ideology of immigrants and immigration in the modern world. This national and global debate usually revolves around economic impacts and the legal status of immigrants.  The ethics of migration are very hard to define. There are many individual perspectives on what impact migration has on countries, and whether countries should encourage, discourage, or limit migration.

Migration is an integral aspect of life on this planet. People move in search of food, to escape danger and death. They move towards what they see as better opportunities for life. Migration also affects the communities migrants leave and the communities that they move to. This movement also impacts communities along the route of transit. So the question is how does the control of immigrant fall into ethics? Is it ethical to control or deny people from moving for any reason?

Typically, in our society ethical and moral issues are decided by religious icons. But this causes a dilemma for our society where many younger citizens do not follow a distinct religious teaching. Many ethical issues are being decided in a court of law, which further complicates the idea being a country based and a division of church and state. Ethical decision should, by our own laws, not be made in courts. Where do we turn to find the answers to these ethical dilemmas? The debate over immigration is not one easily solved. It can divide a society or culture, or it can unite a country or a region.  Interests of citizens and migrants may sometimes coincide and sometimes diverge. Our lawmakers make the decisions to control immigrants coming into the country. The idea behind what they do is sound, and most of us believe in those reasons, but does it cross the line into unethical behavior?