In browsing around the innumerable stocks of informational insight at LewRockwell.com, I came across an article by libertarian thinker Glenn Jacobs (aka Kane of World Wrestling Entertainment) that really altered my perspective on the whole illegal immigration debate.
His article centers around the argument that in regards to illegal immigration laws such as the ones recently passed in Arizona, one should consider the implications they may have on an individual’s property rights. Governmental abuses of one's property in response to enforcing illegal immigration laws allows the state to dictate to certain individuals and private businesses who they can and cannot hire or associate with and who may access ones private property regardless of the owners wishes.
Jacobs notes that,
While our system of property rights is already imperfect, the current immigration policy leads to even greater infringements on these rights. For example, if one owns property on or near the border, the government may claim the authority to build a fence or a wall on one’s property, and government agents may come and go as they please without the property owner’s permission.
In short, Jacobs suggests that at its core, illegal immigration is itself "a crime against the State, and should fall into the category of victimless crime." If we approach the issue of illegal immigration from the mindset that it is actually a nonaggressive state determined "crime" in which no one individual has had their rights directly infringed upon, then I believe that the basis for enforcing and creating such laws fall flat. Just as all "victimless crimes" enable governments to regulate a myriad of actions and behaviors, such laws relating to illegal immigration could eventually encase all individuals in an environment where the state establishes a kind of "papers please" society that many have feared.
The government’s crusade against illegal immigration will ultimately give way to a trail of abuses of not only "illegal immigrants" themselves, but of the American people and their liberties. Rather than curbing the massive welfare system that entices so many immigrants to risk their well being to come here and take advantage of, the government would instead prefer to open the gates toward the inevitable abuse of the people’s freedoms and the restriction of their rights.
Despite whatever your own personal objections to the illegal immigration debate may or not be, Jacobs’ article is definitely worth a glance if you’re looking for an alternative and less often heard insight into what I believe to be an interesting, although difficult subject.
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A few points:
1. The federal government has ignored, been absent, incompetent, and negligent in its duty to uphold and enforce immigration and employment laws. This has resulted in our current situation.
2. The continued growth of entitlement programs and welfare for all, including those who are present in the country illegally, will not suddenly cease or even shrink in the case that an immigration reform package involving amnesty or a path toward citizenship is passed and implemented. What past performance of the federal government could we refer to in order to believe they would follow through on any of the enforcements were it to pass?
3. In the event that some immigration reform package is passed providing for a path to citizenship, the largesse of the new visa holders moving towards citizenship will fall under the poverty category, thus qualifying for even more welfare and entitlements, putting a further burden on our already broken economic and social conditions.
The libertarian approaches to illegal immigration are no longer legitimate and valid when offered without also simultaneously addressing the entitlement and welfare programs and their speeding growth. Such principles of liberty cannot be offered piecemeal as though they are operating in a vacuum.
This will re-alter your perspective on the Immigration debate. http://www.lewrockwell.com/kinsella/kinsella18.html
This is where I lost interest in the paper suggested by Nick. This line of reasoning is already used to justify all acts of Government aggression. "I'm sorry we cut your land in two, Mr Farmer, but we've provided restitution by building a railroad through your land, from which you derive benefit."
I am not familiar with the author, and maybe his philosophical credentials are genuine, but I find it hard to believe that an anarcho-libertarian (as Mr Kinsella professes to be) could swallow this rationalization of theft. One might as well say that ruffians demanding protection money are justified; after all, I derive a whole lot of benefit from not being beaten up every day.
I would agree up to a point, but a country does have a right to make sure those entering intend it's citizens no harm, directly or indirectly. When you do not have control of your borders you can not do that. For example those with violent criminal records that have come across the border have kill American Citizens. Also there are those that have come across the border carrying diseases they knew or did not know they were carrying. The Federal Government has a responsibility to protect us from those dangers, and I would argue that is the only responsibility it was tasked with via the Constitution.
Having said that I would much rather see business that hire illegals be punished severely, over actually punishing the illegals. Basically you hire an illegal knowingly and you are out of business for good.
Imigration needs to be reduced because most of the people who are running away from country are poor and don't want to work in most cases. If they would be bright new people then they could achieve success in their country as well.
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Immigration laws must be really strict in every country as mor and more uneducated people are looking how to earn money without working hard. This isn't how it happens in reality so people should be aware of what they are really doing.
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