Foot Voting and Self-Determination

This chapter critiques claims that foot voting undermines the “self-determination” of current inhabitants of destination jurisdictions, who therefore must have a right to exclude migrants. It addresses both claims that ethnic or cultural groups have exclusive rights to control various territories, and more individualistic self-determination theories, such as those that analogize nations to homeowners and private clubs. The chapter also rebuts arguments to the effect that migrants’ home countries have a right to prevent them from leaving, based on a duty to develop your “own” nation and avoid “brain drain.” The chapter explains how these standard justifications for a right to exclude international migrants would, if applied consistently, also justify imposing severe restrictions on domestic mobility and civil liberties.