Philosophy

摘要

Across the United States Dreamers-undocumented students-are experiencing a strong anti-immigration movement that intensified as the federal government focused more on both national security post 9/11 and a declining economy. Specifically, the introduction of new anti-immigration laws has physically and psychologically affected Dreamers. I suggest that we introduce Immanuel Kant's argument for the categorical imperative into the topic of Dreamer deportation. I think that we can enrich the topic by shedding light on the arguments revolving the anti-immigration topic in light of Kant's conception of human dignity. I argue that in doing so one can make the plausible argument that it is morally necessary to presuppose human dignity because Dreamers are being affected in three ways: they are denied social membership, exploited in the workforce, and physically forced out of their homes and into another country through deportation. My argument is extremely important because I provide a deontological perspective to an issue that is consistently analyzed in political terms and to also shed light on how Dreamer experiences exemplify the urgency for creating laws that uphold human dignity.