I realize it is idealistic and perhaps unrealistic to dream of a world without borders, but at least I think we should consider why we even restrict immigration in the first place.
If we all live on the same Earth and belong to the same species, why is our free movement being restricted? If trade is making the global economy increasingly connected, why are workers still highly confined to their country of birth?
The two main reasons for immigration regulations arise from nationalist arguments that have been dominant for decades.
Political leaders around the world restrict immigration because they consider it a potential threat to the jobs of natives and because they fear the crime immigrants allegedly bring.
On the surface, it might make sense to protect the well being of a country with these policies. Deep down, however, these restrictions are inherently discriminatory.
By restricting the free movement of citizens from other countries, we are basically denying their right to relocate wherever they choose to in a planet that we all share and exclusively on the basis of their country of origin.
Still, this situation would not be as much of a problem without the vast inequality among countries. In this context, immigration regulations are in place to keep poverty and low wages localized in what we now call “developing nations.”
Many of those same regions would have benefited greatly from similar immigration restrictions against colonizing nations 500 years ago.
Many economists agree that free migration would allow for an increase in the world’s output as a whole and that it would greatly reduce inequality across borders.
It is not as if open borders would result in an uncontrolled influx of migrant workers. Language and qualifications would still present significant barriers.
However, the assumption that we, as citizens of wherever we are from, are more worthy of jobs than foreigners is far too strong.
Concerning crime, I think it is outrageous to claim that foreigners automatically bring crime, as if it were ingrained in their DNA or it were some part of their “uncivilized” culture.
If crime is more prevalent in poorer nations, it is because of the corrupt institutions in place and the extreme inequality, much of which can be blamed on former colonizers.
Although global politics seems to be heading toward greater restrictions, there are still reasons for hope for dreamers like me. International programs at universities, such as the one here at the University of Mississippi, are great examples.
The push for freer migration will have to come from us, the younger generation. After all, we could be the first generation to which world equality and peace are not visionary dreams but attainable goals.
Francisco Hernandez is a junior international studies major from Valencia, Spain.
