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Immigration


Immigration has played a critical role in the national consciousness since our nation’s founding. For just as long, immigration has been a contentious issue which political developments such as the forced separation of migrant families and calls for a Southern border wall have only amplified. Recently, the deportations of long settled undocumented migrants and “Dreamers” have prompted fierce public debate concerning the government’s immigration policy: How should the government respond to undocumented migrants? Do governments have the right to close borders? To what extent (if any) should governments restrict claims to citizenship based on national origin? Do wealthier nations have a moral obligation to accept migrants and refugees fleeing political instability and violence? Most of all, how do we sift through the politically charged rhetoric to recover the human face of migration? As immigrants and their children make up 27% of the U.S. population, an effective way of dealing with these issues is critical in order to contribute to the common good.