Jussanam Da Silva, a Brazilian citizen who has lived and worked in Iceland for two years but who was denied a renewed work and residence permit because she divorced her Icelandic husband, finds it unfair that two MPs would want to offer an illegal Russian-born immigrant to Norway, who was recently deported, Icelandic citizenship.

“It is a little weird because this woman has no connection with Iceland. She isn’t here and doesn’t want to be here,” Da Silva told visir.is.

The author Madina Salamova, better known under the pen name Maria Amelie, has lived in Norway as an illegal immigrant since her childhood and was able to go to school there but was made to return to Russia last month.

She raised awareness of her circumstances with the bestseller Ulovlig Norsk (“Illegally Norwegian”) and her deportation caused significant controversy in Norway. A bill is now pending in the Icelandic parliament, Althingi, to offer Salamova Icelandic citizenship.

Da Silva points out that she was a legal immigrant to Iceland. She has a good connection with the country, loves living here and wants to stay. “There is a job at Hlídarskóli [elementary school] waiting for me and a number of Icelanders support me,” she said.

Da Silva is now hoping for support from the country’s MPs.