Advocacy Update
October 2007

LIRS Advocates to Protect Liberians from Forcible Return
By Eric Sigmon, LIRS Policy Advocate

Since the outbreak of the Liberian civil war in 1990 the United States has granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Liberian nationals who have been unable to return to their country due to unstable conditions. Last year Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced that TPS would not be renewed for Liberians. This means that an estimated 3,600 Liberians must leave the United States when their current TPS expires October 1.

Consistent with our principle of serving the most vulnerable, LIRS has long advocated for the protection of Liberian refugees and immigrants. This summer, with the threat of deportation looming for Liberians with TPS, LIRS began advocating for a solution to prevent their forcible return.

Having lived in the United States for nearly 20 years, these Liberians have established lives with their families here. Many are married to Americans or have American-born children. The expiration of TPS would put these families at risk of being torn apart. Forced repatriation of Liberians would require parents to make a decision they should never have to make—whether to leave their children behind or to take them to a country still recovering from a protracted civil war.

Moreover, during this period, Liberians have become an integral part of several local communities, particularly in Minnesota and Rhode Island. Liberians with TPS own homes, run businesses and work in important industries such as the health care field that have come to rely on their labor skills. The sudden departure of hundreds of workers would put these local businesses and communities at risk.

In a recent speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf thanked President Bush for his strong stand against former Liberian ruler Charles Taylor and thanked Congress for providing $445 million in aid “that laid the foundation for a durable peace” in 2003. She further explained that “Liberia needs time to rebuild and recover and is unfortunately not in a position to absorb and provide for an influx of refugees” (meaning people with TPS who would be forced to return).

This August, with the support of our service partners, ELCA and LCMS churches, and other community-based organizations across the country, LIRS disseminated a model letter that many Liberians signed and sent to President Bush. LIRS also drafted and circulated a letter that more than 45 other local and national advocacy groups joined as signors. These letter campaigns urged President Bush to offer Liberians Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), a program that would help them remain in the United States for an additional period while we fight to help them earn permanent legal status here. LIRS has also worked with allies in Congress to gain permanent residence status for Liberians.

After concentrated local and national advocacy efforts, LIRS is pleased to hear that President Bush will be extending DED to Liberians for 18 months. By helping these few thousand Liberians, American families will stay intact, the well-being of a number of U.S. neighborhoods and businesses will remain stable and vibrant, and the Liberian economy will continue to receive valuable remittances from its hardworking nationals in the United States. We are grateful to all who contributed to this advocacy success!

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