Document Type

Student Paper

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Disciplines

American Politics | Applied Ethics | Ethics and Political Philosophy | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement

From day one of the second Trump administration, the White House has treated illegal immigration as an invasion, both rhetorically and, to a lesser extent, legally. The administration has not shied away from the use of force in this campaign, leading to the notable killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti along with countless acts of violence across the nation. This essay seeks to evaluate the ethics of the second Trump administration's immigration policy from within this "war" framing through the lens of just war theory. While there has been considerable attention to just war theory in the context of the administration's more traditional wars, the "war" on immigration has remained unexamined through this lens. Out of the six components of jus ad bellum I make the case that the administration has certainly failed multiple and very likely failed all. This has considerable implications for the ethical standing of one of the second Trump administration's signature policies.

Comments

1st Place Winner, 2026

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