Our Brother’s Keeper

ByBrian Phillips

One of the arguments against illegal immigration is that the “illegals” rape and pillage our social welfare system. “Illegals” take advantage of Social Security, government schools, hospitals, and countless other services provided by taxpayers. The critics seldom object to providing these services to American citizens. They believe that we are our brother’s keeper, and they only object when we get new brothers.

If we are truly our brothers keeper, then why should one object when the brother had the misfortune of being born in another country? If we have a moral duty to help the destitute and unfortunate, then why should we discriminate against those who happened to be born in some war-torn country? On what grounds can we refuse to help someone born in a dictatorship?

The fact is, there is no rational answer. If we accept the premise that we are our brother’s keeper, then we must accept, embrace, and keep every brother, no matter where he is from. If we accept that premise, then we must support every human being on Earth–each is a brother. If we accept this premise, then we must welcome them to America and support them.

But what if we reject the premise that we are our brother’s keeper? What if we embrace the premise that individuals–each individual–is responsible for his own life, no matter where he is born?

It is immoral for immigrants–legal or illegal–to benefit from America’s social welfare programs. These programs take money from productive Americans and give it to those who have not produced. But this is true whether the recipients were born in Topeka or Tijuana. Taking from those who produced to give to those who did not is immoral, no matter the citizenship of the recipient. Morally, we are not our brother’s keeper.

Immigration involves much more than welfare programs. But anyone who opposes immigration in any form on the basis of the burden on welfare programs should oppose welfare on principle rather than on the basis of which brothers might receive it. We must reject the premise that we are our brother’s keeper.

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