Immigration as a Democratic Challenge: Citizenship and Inclusion in Germany and the United States

by Ruth Rubio-Marin

Immigration raises a number of important moral issues regarding access to the rights and privileges of citizenship. At present, immigrants to most Western democracies must satisfy a range of conditions before achieving citizenship. This book argues that this is unjust and undemocratic, and that there should be a time threshold after which immigrants should either be granted full citizenship rights, or should be awarded nationality automatically, without any conditions. The author contrasts her position with the constitutional practice of two countries with rich immigration Germany and the United States.

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[José-Antonio Orosco · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that immigrants, both permanent legal residents and undocumented, are subject to law and public authority created by a political community in which they have no say is a problem for the legitimacy of liberal democratic states dedicated to the equal dignity of human beings.