1 / 25

Catholic Social Teaching, The Right to Migrate, and the Rule of Law

Catholic Social Teaching, The Right to Migrate, and the Rule of Law. Andrew Yuengert Cool Talk, Univ. of St. Thomas March 2, 2012. Outline. Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration Economics of immigration Politics of Immigration. Priority of Doctrine over Politics.

karif
Download Presentation

Catholic Social Teaching, The Right to Migrate, and the Rule of Law

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Catholic Social Teaching, The Right to Migrate, and the Rule of Law Andrew Yuengert Cool Talk, Univ. of St. Thomas March 2, 2012

  2. Outline • Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration • Economics of immigration • Politics of Immigration

  3. Priority of Doctrine over Politics • Since they are citizens of a free society, those who teach Catholic Social Doctrine will as responsible citizens have their own political opinions and they will range across the whole right, left, and centre perspectives within the limits of that doctrine… • Rodger Charles, Christian Social Witness and Teaching

  4. Priority of Doctrine over Politics • … but they must avoid the temptation to let their own opinions color the way in which they approach the subject. They must make clear that they respect all the political options a Christian in good conscience can take, not only that which they have espoused. • Rodger Charles, Christian Social Witness and Teaching

  5. Doctrine First • Most of us are not really approaching the subject [Christian social morality] in order to find out what Christianity says: we are approaching it in the hope of finding support from Christianity for the views of our own party. We are looking for an ally where we are offered either a Master or – a Judge. I am just the same. • C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

  6. The Right to Migrate • Based on three principles • Right of family to a living • Priority of family over state • Right of economic initiative

  7. Right to Migrate • Aware of burdens on host countries • Not an open borders policy • Not an absolute right

  8. Not absolute? • Rights and Justice • Justice accounts for tradeoffs • Rights stronger where fewer substitutes • Right to life absolute: no substitute! • Right to migrate strongest for refugees and the poor

  9. Not Absolute • Right to migrate may be abridged in the face of severe threats to common good. • Not to be abridged lightly • A high bar: US immigrants are poor

  10. Pause to Reflect • What the principles buy: • Cannot ignore benefits and costs to immigrants • Be generous, especially to the poor • There can be grounds for restrictions

  11. Pause to Reflect • Value in these principles, before application • Policy based on more than effects on natives • All concerns not “anti-immigrant” • Bishops do a great service in teaching principles, even if they do nothing else • They should affect both right, left, and center • Through the laity

  12. Economic Effects of U.S. Immigration Largebenefits to Immigrants - Poor Immigrants: wages 4-5 times higher - Refugees, asylum seekers - Benefits to home countries: - $ remittances - business connections

  13. Economic Effects of U.S. Immigration Small net benefit to: - US business owners - consumers Effect on wages of native unskilled: 2-3% lower growth over 20 years

  14. Economic Effects of U.S. Immigration Effect on state and local budgets: - modest -but concentrated (CA, FL, TX, AZ)

  15. Economic Effects of U.S. Immigration Effects on Natives: small Effects on Immigrants: large Conclusion: Arguments against immigration must rely on non-economic costs (security, culture)

  16. The Politics of US Immigration • 1986: three million illegal immigrants • The Grand Bargain (IRCA): • Amnesty • Enforcement (workplace)

  17. The Politics of US Immigration • The Outcome of the Bargain • 2.7 million amnestied • No enforcement • By 2000, 10 million illegal immigrants

  18. The Politics of US Immigration • The Politics this time • Enforcement first • Fences at the Border

  19. The Politics of US Immigration • Concern about the rule of law • Widespread flouting of law corrupts • Consciences of illegal immigrants • Politics • government agencies

  20. The Politics of US Immigration • Respect for rule of law • Fragile • Crucial • Hard to re-establish

  21. The Politics of US Immigration • The problem is illegal immigration • Can be solved by • Increasing legal immigration • Even this will require real enforcement

  22. Final Thoughts • Cautions for all Catholics • Conservatives: • Goal is a generous policy • Catholic Progressives: • Rule of law legitimate problem • Real enforcement makes generous policy possible

  23. Final Thoughts • Charity in all things, even politics

  24. Is US policy Generous? • Permanent Legal Immigration, 2009 • US: 1.13 million • Germany: 606 thousand • Switzerland: 132 thousand • France: 126 thousand • UK: 471 thousand • Mexico: 24 thousand

  25. Is US Policy Generous? • Foreign born Population, %, 2009 (% not from EU) • Australia: 26.5% • Canada: 19.6% • Finland: 4% (2.8%) • France: 12% (8.4%) • Germany: 12.9% (7.8%) • Israel: 26% • Luxembourg: 37% (5.6%) • Netherlands: 11% (9.4%) • Sweden: 14% (9.1%) • Switzerland: 26% (11.7%) • UK: 11% (7.7%) • US: 12.5%

More Related