Symbolic Measure Condemning Byelle's Immigration Quotas Fails

GNN NEWS--Politics

MAVOCKE--Nearly a month after the Grassadellan Head Court upheld President Byelle's Immigration Quota program as legal, the House of Delegates and National Assembly attempted to pass a symbolic resolution that would have condemned the program.

Led in the House by Dlgs. Debbie Madronas (N-DMG) and Hanna Gorbachy (N-MON), Nationalists and some moderate Conservatives voted for the symbolic resolution. The resolution failed, however, by a vote of 31-24. A similar outcome came out of the National Assembly, with 142 voting against the resolution, and only 128 voting for it.

The program puts a quote on the number of immigrants that can come to Grassadella from countries that are dubbed "terrorist-states" or "rogue nations." Immigrants are still allowed to become Grassadellan citizens, but few immigrants are accepted from these countries compared to other nations not on the terrorist list.

Dlg. Gorbachy told the GBC that the President's program, which is run in cooperation with the Dept. of National Security, "wreaks of Hitler-era practices," and is "cruel and discriminatory."

Even Conservative Delegate Victoria Albright (C-CEA) said the "Quota program is insulting to Arabs and citizens from other countries."

But other Conservatives defended the program, citing terrorism, not hatred and discrimination as the reason for the program's existence.

"This isn't about hate. This isn't about discriminating against people from Arab nations. This is about protecting our country," said Dlg. Chuck Danbury (C-ARA).

House Majority Leader Dlg. Joan Fhonda said the program is perfectly legal and should be used without limitation.

"Many of the people coming into our country, or attempting to come into our country, are terrorists and radical Muslims. The last thing we're going to do, is let them cross our borders and come into our country," Fhonda said.

"I don't care if the Nationalists say it's discrimination...it's not. It's called protecting our country. It's called common sense. You don't let crimninals inside your borders. You don't open up your country to the very people who want to kill you," Fhonda continued.

President Byelle pointed out that the Head Court upheld the program's legality, and also reminded offended lawmakers that the program does allow people from the targeted or "black-listed" countries to immigrate to Grassadella, but that it is vey selective about who can and cannot enter the country.

"The purpose of the program is not to discriminate against people of a specific ethnicity or nationality. It is simply to make sure we're not letting in foreign terrorists."

Back in January, the Head Court ruled 6-3 that the program was legal, but recommended some changes be made to it. In July, the updated version of the program was taken to the high court once again, and this time, the court approved it by a vote of 5-4.

Dlg. Gorbachy told GNN NEWS that "the bigotry and discrimination conveyed through this program would not happen under a Nationalist President or Nationalist Congress."

"This would never happen with Nationalists in power. That's why in 2008, we're going to make sure that a Nationalist is elected President and that a Nationalist majority is elected into the House and Assembly, so we can change the laws of radicalism that have been promoted and perpetuated by this Administration and Congress."