Should countries be required to accept asylum seekers?

Curtice (No)

The primary law governing refugees is the 1951 Refugee Convention. Most nations have signed it, and it states, in part, that “contracting states shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened.” Yet, most of those who are entering the US illegally by crossing the southern border are not coming because their life or freedom is threatened. At best, they are coming for better economic opportunities. At worst, they are coming to commit crimes or otherwise do harm within the country.  

In one of the few attempts by the Biden administration to curb illegal immigration, it tried to deny asylum to migrants at the border if they did not first seek protection from the country they passed through—a reasonable and logical approach that was ultimately blocked in court. Under Biden, however, the total number of asylum seekers almost quadrupled between fiscal years 2021 and 2022. This puts an ever-increasing burden on our welfare systems as many taxpayer benefits, as well as other benefits, are made available to migrants. 

There are 190 countries in the world, yet the US and Western European countries seem to get the bulk of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. It makes sense that these refugees first seek asylum in countries closer to their origin, where they might share a common language or culture. Just as supposed asylum seekers seem to have a choice as to which country they try to enter, so should any country have a choice regarding whom they allow in. That is considered national sovereignty.

Luis (Yes)

In a world where dictators or criminals rule many governments, those who live under such a nightmare should always be able to apply for asylum in other nations properly and have a chance to reestablish their lives. One of the main reasons is humanitarian, as governments around the world need to understand that those who are legally applying for asylum are escaping from economic mayhem or the violent pandemonium of an authoritarian regime. In fact, globalization has led the world to be more connected than ever, which means that every crisis affects us all.

Asylum seekers have human rights; governments should uphold and protect those rights, ensuring that any individual can access security and opportunities for a better life. Also, accepting asylum seekers demonstrates the nation’s generosity and compassion, which eventually enhances their leadership in humanitarian efforts and their reputation as human rights champions.

Moreover, every country worldwide has the moral responsibility to assist those who are escaping from oppression or the chaos of an economic crisis. After all, these are vulnerable people who are usually fleeing life-threatening situations and have no other chance than to apply for asylum in another nation to prevent the worst-case scenario.

Finally, all nations should accept asylum seekers because of the different international laws, including the Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol, which established legal obligations to provide refuge to people under certain circumstances. The world can be dangerous for many people, but countries can make it much better if they accept the most vulnerable at the highest rates possible.