Chapter 26 Verified Test Bank Is There a Right to Immigrate?

Test Bank

to accompany

Exploring Ethics, Sixth Edition

Cahn

Chapter 26

Is There a Right to Immigrate?

Michael Huemer

[NOTE: Questions marked with “*” also appear in the student self quizzes on Learning Link.]

Multiple Choice

1. Huemer allows that states may justifiably deny entry to*

a. international terrorists.

b. fugitives from the law.

c. Neither a nor b

d. Both a and b

2. A prima facie rights violation is an act that

a. always violates the rights of at least one person.

b. normally violates someone’s rights.

c. only violates someone’s rights in extreme circumstances.

d. violates the rights of some, but not all, individuals.

3. Huemer allows that harmful coercion may be justified*

a. when necessary to defend the innocent against harmful coercion.

b. to prevent much worse consequences.

c. because of a prior agreement made by the one being coerced.

d. All of the above

4. According to Huemer, failing to observe an individual’s prima facie rights may be justified by

a. competing moral considerations that outweigh the rights in question.

b. special circumstances that suspend the rights in question.

c. Both a and b

d. Neither a nor b

5. In the case of Sam forcibly preventing Marvin from reaching the marketplace, Huemer claims that Sam*

a. severely violates Marvin’s rights.

b. harms Marvin without violating his rights.

c. neither harms Marvin nor violates his rights.

d. has a duty to his family to deny Marvin access to the market.

6. In Huemer’s view,

a. all acts of coercion are harmful.

b. an action that is both coercive and harmful is a prima facie rights violation.

c. an action that is both coercive and harmful is a tout court rights violation.

d. all harmful acts are coercive.

7. Huemer believes that the economic effects of immigration on the United States are*

a. neutral overall.

b. likely to be negative overall.

c. likely to be positive overall.

d. morally irrelevant.

8. Huemer believes that the state’s supposed duty to prioritize its own citizens’ interests

a. is morally legitimate but cannot justify broad restrictions on immigration.

b. relieves it of any serious obligation to consider the interests of noncitizens.

c. does not include prioritizing its citizens’ economic interests.

d. is morally untenable.

9. In Huemer’s view, a country’s interest in cultural preservation is*

a. positively harmful and immoral because of its connection to racist attitudes.

b. morally neutral and therefore irrelevant to the ethics of immigration.

c. sufficiently morally weighty to justify immigration restrictions in many cases.

d. morally legitimate but generally insufficient to justify immigration restrictions.

10. Huemer describes America’s current immigration law as

a. morally incoherent but relatively harmless.

b. possibly the country’s most harmful body of law.

c. harmful but not to the point of violating human rights.

d. generally neither harmful nor violating of rights.

True or False

11. Huemer argues that most immigration restriction involves prima facie rights violations.*

a. True

b. False

12. A prima facie rights violation is an action that violates someone’s rights under any circumstances.

a. True

b. False

13. According to Huemer, the mere threat of physical force does not constitute coercion.*

a. True

b. False

14. Huemer argues that those defending the United States’ policy of imposing immigration restrictions incur a significant burden of justifying those restrictions.

a. True

b. False

15. Huemer believes that what is needed to respond to common economic arguments for immigration restrictions is a general theory of when harmful coercion is justifiable.*

a. True

b. False

16. Huemer argues against restrictions on entry to the United States by any potential immigration, regardless of their criminal status.

a. True

b. False

17. Huemer allows that the United States has a limited right to deny potential immigrants entry to protect economic opportunities for citizens.*

a. True

b. False

18. Huemer grants that immigration has a negative impact on some Americans, but notes that they are a fairly small statistical minority.

a. True

b. False

19. According to Huemer, the cultural preservation argument for restricting immigration relies on two premises, one sociological and the other psychological.*

a. True

b. False

20. Huemer argues that the impact of American culture on other peoples and cultures is evidently more disruptive than the reverse.

a. True

b. False

Essay

21. How does Huemer define prima facie rights violations? What does “prima facie” mean and contribute to the definition? Can such violations ever be justified? How?

22. Explain the economic argument for restricting immigration in what Huemer regards as its strongest form. Just how far does Huemer think this argument goes? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

23. How does Huemer use the hypothetical case of Sam and Marvin to critique the cultural preservation argument for restricting immigration? Explain why or you find his reasoning persuasive or not, using concrete examples of cultural influence to defend your position.