Earned Citizenship by Michael J. Sullivan

As a whole, Earned Citizenship provides a non-humanitarian justification for legalizing unauthorized immigrants based on their contributions to citizens and institutions in their adopted nation. This argument is part of a broader project in political theory and public policy aimed at reconciling civic republicanism with a feminist ethic of care, and its emphasis onĭependency work. The book also considers the civic value of caregiving as a service to citizens and theĬountry, contending that family immigration policies should be expanded to recognize the importance of caregiving duties for dependents. Military service in particular would merit naturalization in countries with a strong citizen-soldier tradition, including the United States.

Their service would act as restitution for immigration law violations. Unauthorized immigrants who have served their adopted country?Įarned Citizenship argues that long-term unauthorized immigrant residents should be able to earn legalization and a pathway to citizenship through service in their adopted communities. On the other sits a deeper ethical dilemma that is the focus of this book: what do the state and citizens owe to On one hand it is important that the government sends a message that future violations of immigration law will not be tolerated. Immigrants who are already living in the United States.

An open question remains as to what to do about unauthorized have been here for more than five years, and are settling into American communities, working, forming families, and serving in the military, even though they may be detained and deported if they are discovered.

The majority of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. The migration and settlement of 11 million unauthorized immigrants is among the leading political challenges facing the United States today.

Earned Citizenship by Michael J. Sullivan