The institutionalization of inequality

Abstract

A cycle of inequality, exploitation, and exclusion of lower-skilled and undocumented immigrant workers is reinforced by labor stratification in immigration law systems, facilitated by the global migration infrastructure, and reproduced by labor market segregation in destination countries. Workers are channeled into less regulated 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous, and demanding) in hazardous industries where they have limited legal protections. Labor market segregation increases the likelihood of forced labor, particularly for women and children, and is mediated by race, gender, class, and immigration status. Immigration law systems deepen this exploitation. Using the United States as an example of this global phenomenon, this chapter identifies the role of discrimination, racism, and xenophobia in generating public support for excessively restrictive policies that equate immigration with the displacement of destination country workers and amplify national fears of being overwhelmed by difference tied to changing demographics. The systemic inequality and exclusionary practices of immigration law systems have public support despite the lack of basic human rights protections such as fair treatment, nondiscrimination, and due process. Christian values furthering a transformational Christian ethics and a Christian praxis focused on immigrants’ human dignity and our corresponding responsibility for their migration experiences can be instrumental to an action agenda that centers on the dignity and equality of all immigrant workers, regardless of their immigration status. This approach can leverage global consensus about the need for enhanced human rights protections for all immigrant workers.