The Normative Justification of Obligatory Integration Policies

Hoesch, Matthias

Abstract

Since the late 1990s, obligatory integration policies have steadily gained importance in Western societies. These policies require immigrants to take certain actions that, in the eyes of the host society, serve their integration, such as attending an integration course or taking up residence in a certain area. Immigrants who fail to meet these requirements are sanctioned by financial penalties or by being deprived of permission to stay. Can such a severe curtailment of the freedom of immigrants be justified in the light of political theory and philosophy, and if so, by which arguments? The paper explores six possible approaches to such a justification and concludes that obligatory integration policies are only justifiable in two cases: with some qualifications, immigrants who are not able to earn their livelihood, as well as potential immigrants who do not have a moral right to immigrate, may be obliged to satisfy certain integration-promoting requirements. In all other cases, obligatory integration policies are unjust.