18 Migration is one of the great issues of our time, especially in countries where conflict, war, and evil are occurring. This issue has long been a concern of the Church. Many of the Church's teachings show that standing with migrants reflects the Church’s fundamental choice for the poor. Choosing to stand with migrants is a Gospel choice. This essay examines the issue of migration in the context of human rights and in the light of the church’s teachings. 1. What are human rights? Human rights are natural rights humans have from birth to death which cannot be taken away by anyone or any subject: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”1. Human beings endowed with reason and conscience have the right to live with others in a spirit of brotherhood.2 Human rights are not earned, given, or inherited from another person. They belong to individuals not because they are citizens of a country whose laws confer these rights, but because they are human beings.3 So, human rights are inherent, fundamental rights to be protected by organizations, governments, and individuals. Everyone is bound by law to recognize and respect others’ human rights. The fundamental freedoms allow people to fully develop their human qualities. Moreover, Human rights have moral value even if no actual legal system recognizes them.4 They arise from the sense of injustice that people experience when their humanity is denied or mistreated. They are based on the growing human need for a life: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”5. Fairness, therefore, is part of the natural order of the world, thus giving human existence a higher sense and purpose. 2. Human rights as Universal Moral Rights Human rights must be respected without distinction to sex, skin color, religion, age, ethnicity, class, and political views.6 They are natural rights that belong to all people simply because they are human.7 However, equality does not mean equal levels of enjoyment of the rights. Furthermore, human rights are not to be subjected to discrimination based on political status; are not subject to the 4 Nigel Biggar, What’s Wrong with Rights?, 190. 7 Nigel Biggar, What’s Wrong with Rights?, 190. 5 United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 2. 1 United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (New York: United Nations Department of Public Information, 1949), 2. 2 United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 2. 6 United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 2. 3 Nigel Biggar, What’s Wrong with Rights?, First edition, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), 190. Human Rights and Immigration Ngoc Khanh Nguyen SVD
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