Chocks: Immigration and Social Justice

Immigration and Social Justice

Synopsis

Introduction
Immigration and COVID-19
The United Nation's Role
Approaching the Immigrants
Legality vs Morality
Political Grounds
Policies Framing
Government Rights
Immigrant Rights
Decriminalise Immigration
Conclusion
Reference

Glimpse

Leaving one's home country is called Emigration, while moving from one place to another permanently or temporarily is termed Migration. Entering a foreign country is referred to as Immigration. Refugees are individuals who have left their home country due to serious human rights violations and injustices. Asylum seekers, on the other hand, are those who have not yet been legally recognized as refugees even after leaving their home country.

To summarise the main points of the article, the focus is on "Immigration and Social Justice". Without delving into historical examples, the theme revolves around immigration, addressing issues related to social justice. For a more in-depth understanding of this subject, additional research is recommended.

Introduction

Human migration is not a new phenomenon and has been occurring for centuries. Exploring migration history is crucial to gaining a better understanding of this phenomenon and developing effective policies and plans. The generally accepted theory suggests that early humans migrated from Africa 2 million years ago, while modern humans made a similar journey around 1,00,000 years ago. During those ancient periods, there were no formal immigration procedures. However, as the world became increasingly economically driven, immigration rules began to emerge.

Now, governments have more power than ever before to control immigration. Various immigration policies are pursued by multinational, international, and transnational governments. Immigrants, based on human rights, embody a wide range of moral values in the West. It is important to analyze the admission and rights of immigrants without hostility.

Immigration and COVID-19

The world population increased from about 1.6 billion in 1910 to approximately 7.7 billion in 2020. Concurrently, the number of immigrants choosing to live in other countries increased from 33 million in 1910 to 281 million in 2020. Today, immigrants make up 3.6 percent of the world's population.

In recent years, the Covid-19 epidemic has had a significant impact on the activities of immigrants. Travel restrictions and border closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic have left seasonal workers, temporary immigrants, foreign students, and individuals seeking medical help in another country stranded. Post-Covid-19, most immigrants avoid crossing borders by migrating within the country. In short, a pandemic emphasizes the link between migration and movement.

The United Nation's Role

The 1951 Refugee Convention and its protocols define "refugee" briefly and outline the rights of refugees, as well as the legal obligations of governments to protect them. The underlying idea is that refugees should not be compelled to return to a nation where their lives are at grave risk. This is now considered an international customary law rule.

The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) enshrines the fundamental rights of all people. Articles 13 and 14 of the Declaration guarantee everyone the right to leave any country, including their own, and to return, as well as the right to immigrate from persecution. Article 21 of the Declaration guarantees everyone the right to equal access to public service in their country's government because government authority is built on the will of the people.

The political framework of the host government defines who is a citizen, along with the border checks maintained by the host government. If, however, a person's life is in danger in their home country, and they are willing to risk their lives to survive by immigrating, their right to survival holds equal moral weight as the host government's claim to limit immigration.

According to the United Nations, countries must ensure that refugees' rights are acknowledged and safeguarded, and they are required to abide by the laws and regulations of the country in which they seek asylum.

Approaching the Immigrants

While it is widely agreed that governments have the authority to limit immigration, how they employ this authority has significant ethical implications. For the sake of national security, governments should not discriminate in favor of or against immigration based on race, ethnicity, or ideology. Additionally, it is vital to admit an immigrant's close relatives as immigrants.

Conflicts, poverty, the desire to be close to family, and the potential to pursue a career are all reasons why people leave a country. In other words, immigrants believe that living in another country will provide them with a better life. Developed countries should promote open borders by reducing immigration barriers and allowing people from developing countries to immigrate morally.

Legality vs Morality

Immigration under the modern state system is not mutually supportive on legal or moral grounds, which is a matter of concern. For example, prosecuting children as illegal immigrants for their parents' wrongdoings and deporting all illegal immigrants may be legal, but it is illogical and immoral. Punishing children for something they can't control is unethical.

A world without strict border rules with transparent border measures should be encouraged. However, it is ridiculous that the military system tightens borders to prevent immigrants. In short, the legal system opposes immigration reform while the moral system supports it.

Political Grounds

The fundamental reason that immigration is a contentious issue lies in political and economic concerns. The question arises: why isn't there a more equitable distribution of the world's resource supply and demand? Government officials should act democratically and in the public interest rather than autocratically.

Poverty is the result of present international trade and political arrangements that favor wealthy and powerful nations. Due to unequal economic progress, people are denied a fair share. The world's wealthy live in luxury, while the world's poorest perish from hunger. Millions of people die from diseases that could have been avoided due to a lack of life-saving treatments. Who is to blame for the existence of poverty? What approaches do wealthy countries and international organizations have to address the issue of poverty?

In summary, poverty is a structural problem that wealthy countries must address by supporting immigrants. Migration benefits both sides, providing a safe haven for immigrants and the chance for humanity to survive.

Policies Framing

Immigration issues are often misunderstood as a result of cultural identity. Reforming and drafting immigration policies is the first step in addressing immigration concerns. Creating a policy with a poor structure can hinder prospective solutions. As a result, we must be more cautious in developing immigration policies that meet the necessary criteria.

Immigration policies should be built around concrete solutions that prioritize fundamental rights. Effective immigration solutions require political vision, organizational commitment, and technological implementation. Immigration procedures should be facilitated using digital technology. Immigration policy should be handled in a way that benefits all parties involved.

Government Rights

When employed migrants seek regional resources, the government can maintain close control over the situation by implementing an appropriate taxation framework governed by bilateral agreements. When integrating all regional public rights within its jurisdiction, the Executive Committee must consider socio-political and socio-economic aspects.

Immigrant Rights

Immigrants human rights are unavoidable and cannot be compromised. Immigrants visit a new country to strengthen ties with the host country. As a result, the host country must enhance its hospitality for immigrants.

Immigrants are departing their native nations to escape economic difficulties, environmental threats, and the repression of democratic rights. Because citizenship is a sovereign right, it must be determined if immigrants are entitled to citizenship in the host country. At the same time, it is the obligation of governments around the world to emphasize the need for working towards immigrants' equal rights.

Decriminalize Immigration

Most people take their birthright and responsibilities for granted, as they live in the country where they were born. It is tough to gather the funds needed to relocate to another country and start a new life from our current place of residence due to unforeseen situations. In such drastic circumstances, when immigrants arrive in a new nation, their safety and future are entirely dependent on the host government's readiness, which uses military force to enforce rigorous border restrictions. We cannot build a wall to cover up the growing injustices in an unequal world. Business tycoons have the flexibility to migrate anywhere on the planet in today's economically driven society, but immigrants who aspire to do so face persecution and are subjected to research.

Due to political persecution and violence, some immigrants are unable to qualify for citizenship or engage in social activities. The maxim "my peace depends on your peace" is based on the socioeconomic and sociopolitical interests of the immigrant's home country and host country. In a democracy, there should be no restrictions on immigrants' rights other than those imposed by law for the sake of national security and public order.

Conclusion

The host government must step in to deliver basic amenities to immigrants, such as shelter and access to healthcare, as well as to create a friendly environment for all immigrants by relaxing border security. To ensure equality, all individuals should be treated with self-respect, regardless of citizenship or economic background. Immigrant limitations must be eased as much as feasible to create an equitable society and ensure international political stability.

We must all work together to ensure immigrants' dignity, meet their fundamental needs, and protect everyone's right to traverse borders. I will sum up the article by saying, "humanity alone unites us when borders divide us".