Open Borders

In my “Coming Out Of The Closet” article, I shared my embrace of libertarianism. It has not escaped my attention, and especially since the recent ruckus over Arizona’s new immigration law, that certain elements of the libertarian movement are in favor of open borders. For example, The Libertarian Party Platform states: “Economic freedom demands the unrestricted movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders.”¹ I UNEQUIVOCALLY DO NOT share that belief as it pertains to human movement, and I think it is an inconsistency of the Party’s platform that they have adopted that policy.

Elsewhere in the Platform, it is stated: “Property rights are entitled to the same protection as all other human rights. The owners of property have the full right to control, use, dispose of, or in any manner enjoy, their property without interference, until and unless the exercise of their control infringes the valid rights of others.” I fully embrace private property rights, and abhor government confiscation of private property. As an owner of real property in the State of Texas, I have an inalienable right to approve who comes onto my property, as long as my wife or I don’t give law enforcement a reason to be on it. I also have a right to decide who may live on it. All the real property comprised of the 50 states of the United States is owned by someone. Most all property that is not owned by individuals or companies is owned by local, state and federal governments. Collectively, “we the people” own the United States. As humans first and democratic republic second, we have the natural right to determine who may visit these United States, who may live here, and under what conditions and with what restrictions those privileges are granted.

This piece of earth called the United States was obtained at a huge price. To allow unrestricted access to our country would dishonor all who spilled their blood on the battlefields of the American Revolution. Many of them died and others were injured for our independence, and that independence means a right of self-determination. Unrestricted access would also dishonor those who sacrificed their lives in every war our country has since fought to preserve our country’s sovereignty.

Further, hundreds of millions of Americans have worked hard over the last 200+ years to earn what they have. We are having enough trouble keeping it out of the hands of government. We don’t need to also have to provide social services to millions of aliens who would undoubtedly flock here if we opened our borders. I find it ludicrous that some espouse such a lame-brained concept.

I’ve given a simplistic view of what some consider a complex subject, but I’m just a simple-minded, black-and-white kind of guy. If you’re interested in the more complex debate, search the internet for “libertarians and open borders” or see the Recommended Reading section below.

Thanks to my cousin Alex for sending me a link to the best speech I’ve ever heard on our country’s immigration laws and policies. It was given on the floor of the House by Representative McClintock from California in response to Mexican President Calderon’s recent visit. It is well worth the five minutes required to view it.


Recommended Reading:

I found the article: “A Simple Libertarian Argument Against Unrestricted Immigration and Open Borders”² by N. Stephan Kinsella, while not “simple”, a good in-depth discussion of the dilemma “libertarians” have with the concept of open borders. It is posted on the website of Lew Rockwell, who is former congressional chief of staff to Ron Paul and founder and chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, which calls, Auburn, Alabama, the hometown of my alma mater, Auburn University, its home.

This article is also worth reading: “Libertarian perspectives on immigration”.³


Another thought:

I stated above that we the people own the United States. That is not totally true, as much of the country and its resources are now owned by foreign companies and foreign investors. What will happen to our country when a majority of it is owned by non-citizens? At the rate we’re spending and borrowing money, that time could come sooner rather than later.


References:

1. The Libertarian Party Platform
http://www.lp.org/platform

2. A Simple Libertarian Argument Against Unrestricted Immigration and Open Borders, N. Stephan Kinsella, 9/1/2005
http://www.lewrockwell.com/kinsella/kinsella18.html

3. Libertarian perspectives on immigration, Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_perspectives_on_immigration