Source: The Huffington Post
By Eli Y. Adashi
One cannot help but note an eerie similarity between the birthright debates raging in the US and the State of Israel. Both nations are badly in need of resetting their immigration policies in the face of a rapidly globalizing flat planet. Both must face up to the reality that immigration is innate and inevitable not to mention key to a nation’s vigor and long term vitality. Both have to contend with the reality that porous borders are here to stay and that mass deportation of illegal aliens is just not an option. Both would do well to embrace a rich multicultural future in lieu of a monochromatic past. And yet, both nations are home to regressive factions intent on stemming illegal immigration by targeting birthright citizenship. Tuning out constitutional, statutory and common law considerations, jus soli opponents appear equally oblivious to notions enunciated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
The leading protagonists at the center of these inter-continental anti-immigration movements, strange bedfellows that they are, do, surprisingly, share a great deal in common. At the US corner is Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce who as of late is being egged on by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and other Johnny-come lately hill notables. Not one to pull punches, Senator Pearce, flush from landing Arizona’s SB 1070 immigration law, calls ‘em like he sees ‘em. Shades of gray between ebony and ivory need not apply. When it comes to illegal immigrants, Senator Pearce is on record saying, “I will not back off until we solve the problem of this illegal invasion. Invaders, that’s what they are. Invaders on the American sovereignty and it can’t be tolerated.”
If it takes re-interpreting the 14th Amendment — a cornerstone of American civil rights — so be it. At the Israeli corner, weighing in as the Interior Minister, is Eliezer “Eli” Yishai, an equally seasoned flame thrower and the leader of the ultra-orthodox Shas Party. Replete with conservative credentials, Minister Yishai is of the opinion that “those who allow these children (of immigrants) to stay in Israel are allowing the parents to pull one over on the state of Israel and stay in the country.” It follows that deportation of the children in question, now official Israeli policy, may well proceed in short order.
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The former Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences and the Frank L. Day Professor of Biology at Brown University, Dr. Adashi is a Physician-Executive concerned with domestic and international Health Care. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Council on Population Growth of the World Economic Forum, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Science and its Board on Health Sciences Policy, Dr. Adashi is a veteran practitioner of Women’s Health and an advocate for Reproductive Health, Freedom and Rights. An adviser to the WHO, the World Bank, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Adashi is a recent Franklin fellow and Senior Advisor on Global Women’s Health to the Secretary of State Office of Global Women’s Issues. Dr. Adashi is also a member of the Board of Directors of Physicians for Human Rights, the Editor of the One on One interview series with Medscape (an international/web-based medical information outlet for health care professionals) as well as a past contributor to the Washington Post (Op Ed), Science Progress (an online outlet of the Center for American Progress), and Latino Public Radio.
