Libertarians Shouldn’t Be Accomplices of Aggression

June 2020: I read this essay and added commentary for Episode 296 of the Everything Voluntary podcast.

What libertarians who call for government to enforce its immigration laws fail to understand is their arbitrary nature and become accomplices in government aggression. A quick review is in order.

People who call themselves “government” make claims that their codes and constitutions apply (jurisdiction) to other people just because of their physical location. In order for these claims not to be arbitrary in nature, they must be supported with factual evidence. People who call themselves “government” have been unable or unwilling time and time again to make such factual evidence available for examination. It is logical to conclude that people who call themselves “government” have no factual evidence to support their claims of jurisdiction. Hence, claims of jurisdiction by people who call themselves “government” are arbitrary. Using violence to enforce arbitrary claims of jurisdiction against peaceful people is an act of aggression. Libertarians, by definition, are opposed to acts of aggression. When libertarians call for people who call themselves “government” to use their enforcement power against peaceful people, they are serving as accomplices in aggression.

Whether enforcing border laws, drug laws, cohabitation laws, economic regulations, zoning laws, et cetera, if libertarians are allying with people who can’t prove their jurisdictional claims, they are siding with aggression. QED.

Immigrants don’t arrive in a place uninvited. They have friends, family members, and/or business relationships who have invited them and provided them some of the means of doing so successfully. It is short order before they are back on their feet and producing value for others. These people are not criminals. They are our fellow human beings doing exactly what we’d all be doing if we were in their place. It’s the height of hubris and arrogance to believe it’s okay to direct violence at them simply because you are annoyed.

I do not and will not condemn anybody trying to find for themselves and their families a better life. Nor will I support anyone acting aggressively against peaceful people, be them an immigrant or bureaucrat. You might think you’re logically correct, but you are wrong.