Which view do you think is most followed in our court system today?
Above is the short story of my husband. On a flight following a Hindu convention, my husband made the choice to illegally enter the United States and make a home for himself. Like many stories of illegal immigrants my husband had to experience hiding from customs, illegal employment, illegal residency, and etc. Despite these experiences, he worked and eventually paid for his illegal entry. Like many before him, he paid for his crime and fought the court system to earn his right to reside here. Currently, our nation is facing a crisis due to illegal immigrants. Like my husband, many immigrants come to improve their living status. However, unlike my husband, they are many individuals who are not committed to earning their right to reside legally. The purpose of this paper is to provide two ethicist viewpoints of utilitarianism and deontology on the most recent immigration policy. Furthermore, using the perspective of ethical egoism this paper will identify an immigrant’s viewpoint on illegal immigration policy.
Utilitarian
View on Immigration
Merriam-Webster dictionary (2014) defines Utilitarianism
as a “doctrine that the useful is the good and that the
determining consideration of right conduct should be the usefulness of its
consequences; specifically: a theory
that the aim of action should be the largest possible balance of pleasure over
pain or the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Mosser (2014) further emphasizes that “the fundamental principle of
utilitarianism: One should choose to do that which produces a better outcome
for the largest number of people.” Ethicist are focus on the action
consequences and how the consequence will benefit the maximum amount of
individuals.
One
Utilitarian approach to immigration is currently being applied to United States
policy for immigration. Before
Thanksgiving, Obama detailed his executive order for immigration reform. In an
address to the US citizens, Obama (2014) indicated the following will be made
into policy within the next three years:
·
A visa program for individuals who want to pursue studies
in science, technology, engineering, and math;
·
A change to detention procedures for immigrant detainees;
·
Additional assistance to border security.
One of the policies highlighted indicates that the
Administration is looking to maintain highly skilled laborers (Ponnuru, 2014). In this case, the ethical issue is that amnesty
is more likely given if the individual’s skill will benefit America in the long
run. Using this approach, ethically, the
Administration is correct to act. However, this viewpoint challenges the very
history of this Nation. United States is
a country built upon the pioneer spirit of the immigrant. Our society evolve from pilgrims, to colonist,
to revolutionaries and, eventually, to founders of one of the most influential
young nation of the world. Denial of
immigrants, when we are all relatives of past immigrants, undermines the
original principles this nation was founded on.
Duty
and Immigration
“Rather than looking at the consequences of an act,
deontology looks at the reason for which an act is done, and the rule according
to which one chooses to act” (Mosser,2013, p .1.6) Deontology follows the “
Golden Rule (Kourtunis, 2014, para 3).”
“Treat others as I would like to be treated.” Deontologist focus on what is the person’s
ethical duty. In applying deontology to
the immigration policy, the ethicist is determining what most virtuous way to
apply reform is. Therefore, it would be the
lawmakers’ moral duty to treat all individuals humanely despite any consequence
reform may have on the US.
For
example, over the last two years, many Health and Human Service Commission has
been elicit to assist the border patrol with the illegal immigrant children
that have been abandon by their parents. Duty would suggest the United States cares for
these children and provide immediate amnesty for them despite their method of
entrance. Deontology looks beyond the illegal
migration and focus on the person.
Ethical
Egoist Perspective on Immigration
Ethical
Egoism determines the right and wrong of a phenomena based on the interest of
the person (Morris, 2013). One could see
this application a great deal with immigration platforms that looked for the
solid interest of current US citizens.
The US is obligated to benefactor its citizens and not protect the
illegal immigrants who have not contribute to the system.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, the paper provided a brief overview of immigration reform when
applied to the ethical theories of utilitarianism, deontology, and the
perspective of relativism.
References
Kourtsounis, S. (2014, July 16). Immigration is
Ethical at Heart. [Web log post].
Retrieved from
Education, Inc.
Obama Executive Order. (2014, November 20). Obama Immigration Reform 2014 Speech:
Announcing Executive Action [
[Video file]. Retrieved from
Ponnuru,
R. (2014). A Man, an Amnesty, a
Plan. National Review, 66(23), 18-20.
Utilitarianism. 2014. In Merriam-Webster.com.Retrieved
December 22, 2014, Retrieved from
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