Justice in immigrant admission and integration: A normative inquiry

The aim of this research is to bridge two formerly separate domains of migration theory to find out what should count as morally just admission policy in light of normative considerations about the just and fair treatment of citizens and immigrants in the host society. The first issue concerns the individual's moral right to immigrate and the state's right to exclude them. Who (if anyone) is entitled to cross national borders? Should borders be open or are there good reasons for insisting on restricted migration? The emerging political philosophy of migration has so far focused on the ethical significance of borders and the state's right to control them and did so as an applied question of global justice. The second issue concerns the rights and duties of integration once immigrants have been admitted and legally reside in the receiving state. What are the duties of migrants vis-à-vis the host society and what entitlements are they owed? This issue has been approached mainly within debates on multiculturalism.