to their own welfare and interests. The lexical ordering of the
two claims – the moral needs of others versus legitimate selfinterest
– is vague, except in the most obvious cases when the
life and limb of refugees would be endangered by denying them
the right of entry; apart from such cases, however, the obligation
to respect the liberty and welfare of the guest can permit
a narrow interpretation on the part of the sovereign to whom
it is addressed, and need not be considered an unconditional
duty.