Yesterday, the Peoples News reported that DED had been approved, quoting ULAA immigration czar, Michael Wreh. However, after several telephone calls to both the White House and the US Capitol, it is clear that DED for Liberian has not yet been approved by President Barack Obama.

However, the Capitol and White House Staff our reporters spoke with said they are hopeful of something positive in the favor of Liberian on DED, but could not  say at this time when the official announcement will be released.

When our reported contacted Mr. Micheal Wreh, he maintains that the information about the approval of DED is very credible and believe it will be announced soon. He said this process takes some time before it is officially announced. He is therefore calling upon all Liberians to continue the efforts and remain hopeful.

Liberians were first given Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in 1991 when Liberia was in the midst of a bloody civil war that was tearing the country apart. Liberian TPS was then extended each year until 2007, by which point the war had ended and democratic elections had taken place.

Many Liberian refugees who fled civil war and human rights atrocities between 1990 and 2003 made homes in the United States. Now, for some of them, because their status is expiring, they are in danger of deportation to a fragile country and separation from their families, livelihoods, and communities.

As theses immigration advocacy groups exert efforts to have President Obama extend the Liberians DED for another 18 months, the future of these Liberians hangs in the balance.

Mainwhile several Immigration Advocacy groups including community, religious, and faith-based organizations continue with their push for another extension of Liberian DED because of the impact deportation would have on both communities in the United States and in Liberia. Liberians and friends of Liberia are urged to join the effort to call the White House as well as their respective senators and representative to get President to extend DED for these Liberians. Here is a letter written to President Obama recently:

February 8, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As community, religious, and faith-based organizations dedicated to serving and advocating on behalf of the Liberian community, we write to bring to your attention an urgent issue facing Liberians living in the United States. Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status, which by your order of March 23, 2009 currently protects certain Liberians from deportation, will expire on March 31, 2010. We ask that you extend DED to those Liberians for an additional 18-month period so as to ensure that they are not forcibly removed from the United States.

Many Liberian refugees who fled civil war and human rights atrocities between 1990 and 2003 made homes in the United States. Now, for some of them, because their status is expiring, they are in danger of deportation to a fragile country and separation from their families, livelihoods, and communities.

The Historical Relationship between the United States and Liberia

The United States has a special historical relationship with the Liberian people. In 1822, a group of former slaves from the United States arrived in what was to become Liberia’s capital city, Monrovia—named after U.S. President James Monroe. The first eight presidents of Liberia were born in the United States. The Liberian flag is patterned after our own. The national language of Liberia is English. Liberia has been a strategic and military ally of the United States, particularly during World War II when Liberia provided access to rubber and served as a troop transit point for American forces, and during the Cold War when Liberia continued to stand with our country.

But when Liberia descended into havoc between 1979 and 2003, hundreds of thousands of Liberians were forced to flee. Horrific violence and human rights abuses, including mass executions, torture, dismemberment, rape, looting, banditry, and the widespread use of child combatants, traumatized the Liberian population and left the country’s infrastructure in ruins.

It is not surprising that many Liberians came to the United States during that period. As many as 270,000 Liberians now reside here lawfully, with large Liberian communities situated in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. While most have obtained legal permanent residence, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that approximately 3,600 have only the temporary legal status that is conferred by DED.

The Current Situation of Liberians in the United States

In metropolitan areas with large Liberian communities, the expiration of DED would harm certain sectors of the economy, such as long-term healthcare institutions, that employ large numbers of Liberians. Entire neighborhoods would be affected by people leaving their houses, apartments, and businesses behind upon mass deportation.

At the same time, according to the government of Liberia, private remittances from Liberians in the United States to Liberia average $6 million a month, providing a critical lifeline of financial assistance and economic stability that would be ruptured if the DED Liberians were deported.

Also at issue is family separation. Liberians who sought protection in the U.S. have painstakingly rebuilt their lives following the trauma of war. They married and raised families here—including both U.S.-born and Liberian-born children. Forcing the return of those under DED would tear families apart.

The Current Situation in Liberia

The devastating effects of the Liberian conflict continue to be felt there. Recognizing this, on July 16, 2009 you declared a continuation of a national emergency for the United States with respect to the security situation in Liberia. At that time you wrote of "a legacy of destruction that continues to undermine Liberia's transformation and recovery" and that poses "an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States." Liberians should not now be sent back to a country where their lives would be imperiled and their arrival would further destabilize the fragile peace.

The Liberian government needs time to rebuild the infrastructure and social services necessary to support its population and to establish a stable and secure democracy. While Liberia has made strides in its poverty reduction strategy, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon noted in 2009 that "limited national institutional capacity across all sectors remains a serious constraint, not least since most public institutions, at national and local levels, have had to be completely rebuilt after the conflict."

Please Act Now.

Liberia is not yet ready to receive and absorb 3,600 American residents. A mass deportation of those DED Liberians would wreck their families, crush their lives, deprive America of their productive work, strain the Liberian economy, and destabilize that country’s governance.

Please act immediately to ensure that Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians is extended for an additional 18 months beyond March 31, 2010.

Respectfully,

Ally Organizations

The Advocates for Human Rights Minneapolis, MN

American Immigration Lawyers Association Washington, DC

American Jewish Committee Washington, DC

Casa de Esperanza New Jersey

Center for Victims of Torture Minneapolis, MN

Church World Service, Immigration & Refugee Program National & International

The Episcopal Church Washington, DC

Friends Committee on National Legislation Washington, DC

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society New York, NY

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota St. Paul, MN

Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project Minneapolis, MN

Jewish Community Action St. Paul, MN

Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Chicago, IL

Justice & Peace Committee Sisters of St. Joseph West Hartford, CT

Justice Commission Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet St. Paul, MN

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Baltimore, MD

Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office Washington, DC

Multicultural Ministry Network Episcopal Diocese of MN Minneapolis, MN

National Council of Jewish Women, Minnesota Minneapolis, MN

National Immigrant Justice Center Chicago, IL

National Immigrant Solidarity Network Washington DC, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago

National Immigration Forum Washington, DC

North United Methodist Church Minneapolis, MN

Peace and Hope International Minneapolis, MN

Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. Chicago, IL

Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield Massachusetts

St Mary's Episcopal Church St. Paul, MN

St. Philip & St. Thomas Episcopal Church St. Paul, MN

UFCW Local 789 South St. Paul, MN

Liberian Organizations

AAFACD, Inc. St. Paul, MN

ACERO St. Paul, MN

Chicago Lone Star Soccer Club Chicago, IL

Grand Kru County Dev. Assoc. Maryland

Liberia Association Of Michigan South Bend, IN

Liberian Community in St. Paul, MN (LCM) St. Paul, MN

Liberian Human Rights & Refugee Welfare Org. Brooklyn Center, MN

Liberian Ministers Association Minnesota

NC African Services Coalition Greensboro, NC

Organization of Liberians in Minnesota Brooklyn Center, MN

Organization of the Liberian Community in Illinois Chicago, IL

River of Life Open Bible Church Brooklyn Park, MN

Union of Invincible Eleven (IE) Majestic Sports Ass., Maryland

Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas Minneapolis, MN

United African Organization Chicago, IL

United Nimba Citizens Council (UNICCO) New York, NY

Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment, Inc. St. Paul, MN

Zoe Geh District Initiatives Brooklyn Park, MN

AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 10020961. (Posted 02/09/10)