Open Border Policy : Saving Or Endangering Lives?

Immigration is one of the contentious issues that continue to elicit mixed reactions from different parties. In most western economies, debates on immigration policies have been on the rise in the recent decades. Whereas the international human rights have confirmed that freedom of movement is one of the basic human rights and hence no one can be deprived, most governments have put restrictions on immigration. Furthermore, the enactment of open immigration policies in various countries continues to raise mixed reactions with proponents and critics of the policies contributing to the debate. Immigration policies usually vary from country to country and within states with both, either opting for open or closed immigration policies. The impacts of illegal immigration and open border policies have been central to the above debate. This paper explores the issue of open border policies and illegal immigration and its inherent dangers.

The Refugee crisis across Europe and beyond is among the most complex topics in the world right now. Most of the refugees are coming from Syria, but why? Why can’t they just stay at home? Within the last 5 years there has been a mass exodus of civilians in Syria; other countries have experienced very similar scenarios with civilians leaving. With so many are leaving, it is quite difficult for refugees to find safe places to stay. About 6 years ago Syria was among the most stable countries in the Middle East (though ruled by what can be described as a dictator). However, civil war and economic problems have severely affected them. Their President Bashar Al-Assad has made many extremely controversial decisions. Two causes of the Syrian

In recent years, the concept of borders has become focused on the movement of people, with an increasing number of countries opting for a protectionist approach to immigration. Yet, the increasing number of casualties as a direct result of these borders calls into question the continuation of strict border control. States use borders as a defence mechanism in the hope of protecting citizens from criminals and terror. But, history has shown that borders have repeatedly caused significant human suffering. Borders are also used as an economic tool to defend a countries market. However, economists suggest borders may be preventing a doubling in world GDP. The border control of states is ineffective. It is morally and economically flawed.

In our present times national security became a priority. According to Tricia Escobedo, the last year’s terrorist attack in Paris on the night of November 13th left 129 people dead and hundreds wounded. The perpetrators were a mix of French nationals, and Syrian refugees that migrate to Europe due to the current open door policy for asylum seekers (1). We have a problem because our southern border is an open door for foreign terrorist to enter our country, due to the fact that the many people cross illegally. According to Stephen Dinan, nearly 800,000 people arrived in the past two years (1). I am veteran of the United States Army that deployed many times to Afghanistan, I lived in what we call forward operating bases, this forward operating bases had a secure perimeter due to the presence of physical barrier in this case a wall, in order to protect the people inside, and this solution work because it keep any threats away. We had 100 percent control of the people entering the Forward Operating Base, this kind of control reduced drastically any possibility that a foreign terrorist could enter inside the base, and cause severe casualties between the civilian and military personnel.

November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall falls amid the thawing of the Cold War. Consequently, an elated Europe welcomed a new ‘borderless’ continent. The Schengen agreements dissolved anachronistic boundaries that once separated nations, allowing peoples, such as the Ruthenians, to exercise a loyalty to the states within their immediate realm of influence, while simultaneously preserving their independent identities. A quarter of a century later the continent is amid a refugee crisis unseen since World War II. Detention, deportation, bureaucratic barriers, military, and satellite technologies have all been a part of the some of the most extensive and aggressive border enforcement programs in history. Endeavors that have stoked xenophobic fears and spawned grievous confrontations between some of the wealthiest nations on earth and a stateless people from the most impoverished.

Ever since 2011, the war in Syria has made people want to escape their war-torn homelands. Thus, giving these refugees no place to go. These migrants need a safe place to call home and a place where they can get a job. Countries such as Germany, Great Britain, and the United States should accept refugees from war-torn homelands because they want to help the refugees and they are actually going to help the economy, also the migrants are trying to escape the violence, not bring it with them.

The reason behind Syrians fleeing their home country is to get away from the absolute violence, Syrian civil war has caused, the collapsing infrastructure of the country, and to keep children safe.The outbreak of a civil war in March 2011 caused 9 million Syrians to leave since then (“Syrian Refugees: A Snapshot of the Crisis – in the Middle East and Europe” 1). The Syrian Civil War has left more than two-hundred forty thousand people dead, including twelve thousand children.

The most common reason for this sudden migration involves increasing violence in the home countries of the immigrants. Civil unrest in Syria has continued with

Modern-day America has put strict boundaries on immigration, but during the 18th and 19th centuries, an open immigration policy was encouraged and accepted. The concept of America as the land of dreamers and new beginnings is now lost due to recent border policies. An open border policy should be implemented in America as it upholds the Constitution, benefits the domestic and international economy, and maintains ethical standards for preserving human life.

In the attempts to “manage the immigrant crisis” several strategic mistakes have been made, which have shaken the functioning of migration policy in the European community. Particular controversy was stirred up by a plan for the relocation of 120,000 refugees suggested in September 2015. Some months later (April/May 2016), the European Commission came up with the idea of fines for those countries which would not receive the relocated refugees. The fine for one unaccepted foreigner was supposed to be €250,000. The attempt to impose a quota of immigrants on member countries together with high fines contributed to further divisions inside the EU.

America’s open border is one of the biggest issues that faces the American society nowadays. The society is divided into two teams the first team supports opening the borders and the second team refuses opening US’s borders. Defenders see that opening US’s boarders will improve the economy and no matter what if the immigrant is low or high skilled, he will benefit the society by producing new products that will help in increasing the productivity of this country if he is high skilled or have them occupy domestic jobs to free up Americans to take high skilled jobs. On the other hand, there is a different team that supports closing boarders. The people in this team feel that opening the boarders hurt US workers and push them to compete with illegal immigrant for jobs.

Thousands and thousands of migrants have begun to flood into the European countries. With immigration numbers higher than ever, these countries have begun to search for solutions. Some countries have considered closing their borders , many are beginning to show violence to keep people out. As always, there is a much better solution other than using violence. The Europe Migration Policy needs to be adjusted to current needs and these countries need to work together to create better opportunities for the immigrants and refugees seeking safety.

The migration crisis has reached a level where Europe must take a stand and must present a viable plan, expressing the future goals the European government believes will help solves this crisis. The International Organization for Migration said, between January and November 2015 more than 750,000 migrants are predicted to arrive in Europe from across the Mediterranean. As a union, Europe is showing the world that they are not a cohesive organization prepared to face the future with respects to the mass migration. The policy concerning migration at the European Union level states that each nation has the right to their own migration policies, while adhering to the European migration institutions, which are not fully established. So far, many of the migrants coming to Europe are settling in Italy and Greece; many hope to be able to reach Germany as their final destination.

The theological question that this situation raises is whether it is morally right for the Burmese troops to improve violence upon a group of people, yet they are meant to serve and protect the people. Even worse is that the Myanmar government does not make it a priority to protect ethnic minority groups from persecution. The situation also raises an ethical question for the American society today, in that the American society fails to advocate for immigrants such as those from Rohingya. It is even worse that most some people voted for Donald Trump to become president, which means that most Americans supports Trump's policies on immigration. This, therefore, shows that most Americans have an individualistic mentality, which is at the same time selfish. They would rather let people suffer than let them enter their country. They should, therefore, ask themselves whether this is a morally correct Christian mentality?

Since 2011, Syria has been engaged in a Civil War with protestors against the government and members of the extremist group ISIS, and approximately 7.6 million people have been displaced from their homes (usnews.com 2015). As the conflict destroys more homes and livelihoods each year, an increasing number of civilians have been forced to leave Syria and try to find safety elsewhere. Already a contentious issue, the Syrian refugee crisis has awakened tensions, both economic and social as debate erupts over what to do with the refugees.In response to the crisis, while some countries like Germany have pledged to help the refugees, (New Statesman 2015 1) only 2,340 have been admitted. Clearly, more needs to be done in order to help the refugees. Although there are economic and population concerns to be considered, the humanitarian conflict that faces the refugees and solutions already available are reason enough for Europe to increase the numbers of Syrian refugees allowed in.