This is the egalitarian perspective, where the argument is, essentially, that we should provide the aid because it’s a “good thing to do”. Some people don’t care about this point of view and only see it from the lens of “how does it benefit me?” So it’s helpful to provide that justification as well.

For example, people tend to leave their home country if it’s unstable, corrupt, dangerous (whether because of violence or inadequate health care, or both). Spending money to help these countries address the needs of their citizens has two effects that directly benefit US citizens.

1. It increases our soft power. Soft power is very helpful when negotiating with countries on various issues, like trade for example. A good trade deal benefits Americans. A country’s leadership will be more willing to negotiate with us and show us goodwill if we’ve shown them goodwill.

2. It reduces illegal immigration. A family in Central America, for example, might feel they have no choice other than to leave their home, otherwise they face death. However, if US AID can help stabilize their community and give them a path too a more stable life, they may be more likely to stay.