Question 1

Undocumented immigrants provide an enormous benefit to the Social Security system because they pay into the system but are unable to receive anything in return.

Accepted Answer

Undocumented immigrants often pay into the Social Security system through payroll taxes but are ineligible to claim benefits due to their legal status, thus contributing more than they take out.

Question 2

In 1901 Australia passed the Immigration Restriction Act, which aimed to limit nonwhite immigration to Australia, particularly Asian immigration, and thereby preserve the predominance of the British within Australia. Suppose that a large majority of Australians would have been made happier by passage of this law. Would a utilitarian advocate for such a law in these circumstances?

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism focuses on the greatest happiness principle, which means that actions are right if they promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. If the passage of this law would indeed make a large majority of Australians happier, a utilitarian might argue that its consequences are better overall, despite the ethical concerns regarding discrimination and justice.

Question 3

In just a few years, Hispanics will be the majority in the United States, and whites will be a minority.

Accepted Answer

As of the latest projections, while the Hispanic population in the United States is growing, it is not expected to surpass the non-Hispanic white population to become the majority within just a few years.

Question 4

Many people, including many politicians, overestimate the number of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States. In 2015, the number was about

Accepted Answer

In 2015, the estimated number of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States was about 11 million, according to various studies and reports, including those from the Pew Research Center.

Question 5

Americans tend to overestimate immigrants' share of the population. Many believe that it is more than twice as large as it actually is, which is around

Accepted Answer

The actual share of immigrants in the U.S. population is around 14 percent, which is significantly lower than the overestimations many Americans believe.

Question 6

In 1939 the United States turned away a ship carrying 900 German Jews persecuted by the Nazi regime, eventually resulting in the deaths of more than 250 of the refugees. A cosmopolitan egalitarian would have said this decision was morally acceptable, because refugees lack the same rights as citizens.

Accepted Answer

A cosmopolitan egalitarian would argue that all individuals, regardless of nationality or citizenship, have equal moral worth and rights. Therefore, they would likely view the decision to turn away the ship as morally unacceptable, not acceptable.

Question 7

Libertarians argue for cosmopolitanism by pointing out that restricted immigration interferes with a citizen's right to allow foreigners to enter his or her property and infringes on a foreigner's right to freedom of movement.

Accepted Answer

Libertarians often argue for minimal government intervention in personal affairs, which extends to the belief that individuals should have the freedom to invite or allow foreigners onto their property. They also argue that restricting immigration infringes upon the natural right of individuals to move freely, in search of better opportunities or living conditions, aligning with cosmopolitan views on global justice and individual liberty.

Question 8

There is universal agreement on all sides of the immigration debate that that the need to preserve a nation's distinctive culture is a good reason to favor closed borders.

Accepted Answer

The immigration debate is complex and multifaceted, with various stakeholders holding differing views on the importance of preserving a nation's distinctive culture. Some argue for more open borders to promote diversity and economic growth, while others prioritize cultural preservation as a reason for stricter immigration controls. There is no universal agreement on this issue.

Question 9

Which of the following would be a utilitarian reason for limiting immigration?

Accepted Answer

A utilitarian reason focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Limiting immigration due to economic disruption would be considered a utilitarian reason because it concerns the overall well-being and economic stability of a society.

Question 10

Immigrants are taking jobs away from American citizens.

Accepted Answer

Most economic research finds immigrants complement rather than compete with American workers, often taking different job roles, and can contribute to job creation through entrepreneurship and innovation.

Question 11

Consider the following premises of a moral argument about immigration:
1) If high levels of immigration by low-skilled workers make it unlikely that we will fulfill our moral obligations to the poorest Americans, then we should reduce or stop such immigration.
2) Currently high levels of immigration by low-skilled workers do make it unlikely that we will fulfill our moral obligations to the poorest Americans.
Which of the following conclusions would make this argument valid?

Accepted Answer

The premises logically lead to the conclusion that to fulfill moral obligations to the poorest Americans, immigration by low-skilled workers should be reduced or stopped, as stated in option B.

Question 12

Evidence collected over decades shows that immigrants actually show less propensity toward crime than native-born citizens and that immigration can even be considered a factor in the decrease of violent crime in the United States.

Accepted Answer

Numerous studies and data analyses have consistently shown that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born citizens. Additionally, some research suggests that increases in immigration may be linked to decreases in violent crime rates in the United States.

Question 13

During the Civil War (1862) General Ulysses S. Grant issued an expulsion order for all Jews within the parts of the territory he controlled.

Accepted Answer

General Ulysses S. Grant issued General Order No. 11 on December 17, 1862, which expelled Jews from areas under his control in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky, due to accusations of illegal cotton trading. The order was later revoked by President Lincoln.

Question 14

Some argue that a wealthy nation that offers substantial welfare benefits to its citizens (such as Sweden and other Scandinavian countries) cannot afford to have open borders, because doing so would

Accepted Answer

Offering substantial welfare benefits requires significant financial resources. If a wealthy nation with an extensive welfare system opens its borders without any restrictions, it could potentially lead to a massive influx of immigrants. This could strain the welfare system to the point of collapse due to the increased demand for social services, as the system might not be designed to support a sudden and large increase in population.

Question 15

In 1965, the U.S. Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act. While immigration policy had previously been based on a quota system, the new policy favored

Accepted Answer

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 shifted the U.S. immigration policy to favor skilled immigrants and those who could help reunite families, moving away from the quota system that was based on national origin.

Question 16

Those who appeal to utilitarian considerations argue that restricting immigration has adverse consequences, especially economically, because closed borders restrict trade, waste talents, and impede prosperity.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarian considerations focus on maximizing overall happiness or well-being. Restricting immigration can lead to economic disadvantages by limiting trade, wasting talents that could contribute to prosperity, and hindering economic growth, which are outcomes that do not align with utilitarian goals of maximizing well-being.

Question 17

In 1790, a U.S. law was passed stating the requirements for becoming a naturalized citizen. In order to be eligible for naturalization, each applicant had to be

Accepted Answer

The 1790 law required applicants for naturalization to have been residents for two years, to be of good moral character, and to be free white persons.

Question 18

Most people deported from the United States have committed a crime, which is the reason they are deported.

Accepted Answer

Many people are deported from the United States for reasons that do not involve criminal convictions, such as overstaying a visa or other violations of immigration law.

Question 19

Stephen Macedo sums up his perspective on immigration in this way: "If high levels of immigration have detrimental impact on our least well-off citizens, that is a reason to limit immigration, even if those who seek admission seem to be poorer than our own poor whose condition is worsened by their entry." His view is best characterized as

Accepted Answer

Macedo's perspective prioritizes the welfare of a nation's least well-off citizens over the potential benefits to poorer immigrants. This view is anticosmopolitan because it emphasizes the interests of a specific national community over a universal concern for all individuals, regardless of their nationality.

Question 20

Christopher Heath Wellman argues that nations have a right to close their borders, a right derived from the more fundamental right to ________.

Accepted Answer

Wellman argues that the right to close borders is derived from a more fundamental right to freedom of association, which includes the right not to associate or the right to exclude others.

Quiz 20: The Ethics of Immigration