A Moral Dilemma

Macedo, Stephen. "The Moral Dilemma of U.S. Immigration Policy." Debating Immigration. Ed. Carol M. Swain. Cambridge University Press, 2007. 63-81 Print.

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Stephen Macedo says that, “Citizens have special obligations to one another: we have special reasons to be concerned with the distribution of wealth and opportunities among citizens.” He argues that it is as members or co-participants in self-governing political communities that we have special obligations to our fellow members. He believes, “We do have significant moral obligations to poor people abroad, although these are different from what we owe to fellow citizens.” In his opinion, some measures designed to “tighten up” the borders may do more harm then good. He suggests that Americans should accept ongoing high levels of movement back and forth across the U.S.-Mexico border. Macedo writes, “Over the last 40 years, Amercan immigration policies and practices have become, in some respects, more accommodating to the less well-off abroad.” He argues that America does indeed have urgent reasons to shape major public policies and institutions with an eye toward the distributive impact. “We must consider the justifiability of policies from the standpoint of the least well-off among our fellow citizens.”

Macedo stresses that it is the duty of American citizens to help the needy if we are thankful for what we have. This anthology is very important because it deals with a moral dilemma we are facing. Just as Daniel Millis felt it was his duty to help thirsting immigrants Macedo writes, “We should be concerned for the lives of people around us because it is our duty as citizens.” Daniel Millis was concerned when he placed water bottles in the desert. He felt it was morally the right for him to do so. This anthology digs deep with the ethical controversies facing immigration. What is morally right and wrong about immigration policies? How can we solve this migrant problem and still be constitutional? These are some questions that Macedo answers based on his personal opinion. He first addresses the immigration issue, then the duty of American’s, and then he suggests policies that have the potential to change the future. “We must consider the justifiability of policies from the standpoint of the least well-off among our fellow citizens.” What Macedo writes relates closely with the Daniel Millis trial and suggests potential solutions to the immigration problem.