Breaking the law Quote by Mario Vargas Llosa
![“[Immigrants] who come from anywhere there is hunger, unemployment, oppression, and violence and who clandestinely cross the borders of countries that are prosperous, peaceful, and rich in opportunity, are certainly breaking the law, but they are exercising a natural and moral right which no legal…” quote by Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b4/mario-vargas-llosa-1493_breaking-the-law_immigrants-who-come-from-anywhere-there_2374522.jpg)
““[Immigrants] who come from anywhere there is hunger, unemployment, oppression, and violence and who clandestinely cross the borders of countries that are prosperous, peaceful, and rich in opportunity, are certainly breaking the law, but they are exercising a natural and moral right which no legal norm or regulation should try to eliminate: the right to life, to survival, to escape the infernal existence they are condemned to by barbarous regimes entrenched on half the earth's surface. If ethical considerations had any pervasive effect at all, the women and men who brave the Straits of Gibraltar or the Florida Keys or the electric fences of Tijuana or the docks of Marseilles in search of work, freedom, and a future should be received with open arms.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on immigration policy, 2020
Immigrants fleeing dire conditions have a moral right to seek safety and opportunity, despite legal prohibitions.
In simple terms: People escaping hardship deserve a chance at a better life.
Key Takeaway
Support humane treatment of refugees.
Themes
human rights
migration
justice
Mood
empathetic
urgent
Type
political
humanitarian
When to use this quote
- asylum applications
- border policy debates
- NGO advocacy
- community integration
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
international law
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance border security with compassion?
- What responsibilities do affluent nations have toward refugees?
A Different Perspective
Legal systems often prioritize sovereignty over humanitarian needs.
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