Free migration
Free migration or open immigration is a normative position, stating that people should be free to choose the country to which they migrate.
However, the two terms do not refer to the same problem. Free migration is similar to free trade; Concepts which are both supported by libertarian economists. From this perspective, liberal economic systems and free markets can not be seen as zero-sum games and are therefore iE the best way to create a fairer and more balanced economic system, while improving the overall economic benefit for all Participate. Many libertarians, socialists and anarchists, however, in favor of open immigration, despite the notable differences between the three ideologies and the resulting differences in the justifications of this position in the discourse.
Arguments against free immigration are usually either cultural or nationalistic or similar to the arguments against free trade; for example, protectionism or what critics call xenophobia. In particular, an influx of cheap labor could pull down the wages of workers easily, which are already established in a labor market and, least in the short term, have a negative effect on the standard of living for the more established workers. Other critics of the free immigration fear that it would be unfair to homeowners when an inflow of new housing on a large scale depresses property values and the attractiveness of living in this area, or on the other hand, that the demand to live in the city grows so strong, that the homeowner can no longer keep up with the taxes for the higher property values . However, economists believe the free market, that competition is the essence of a healthy economic system, and any short-term effect on individual economic factors, which is caused by free immigration, is justified by the prospect of long-term growth of the economy as a whole.
War -related chaos can lead to the collapse of borders and de facto lead to free immigration. The natural attempt to escape the strife or to escape a conquering enemy can quickly lead to millions of refugees. Even where border controls are installed, they may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. Once housed in refugee camps, it may take decades until these delayed immigrants are either repatriated or naturalized in the new country. This was the situation of the Palestinians in Jordan. The Cold War saw a Migrationsparadox in which some communist states had prohibited emigration, while the " Free World " permissive recorded apostates. These policies continue for Cubans and Hmong, both of which a special form of free immigration is allowed in the United States, founded on their automatic refugee status.
Until the twentieth century, the United States and Canada allowed the almost completely open immigration for Europeans. In the Immigration Act of 1924, the Federal Congress passed strict immigration controls, especially for those who came from outside Western Europe. These rules were later relaxed Immigration Reform Act in 1965. Currently, to name a few examples, open immigration is allowed in the European Union, the Nordic Council, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA ), the European Economic Area ( EEA), the West African Economic Community ECOWAS, the Commonwealth of Independent States CIS (with exceptions and limitations ) and some bilateral agreements, such as between the U.S. and Puerto Rico.