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September 18, 2006

U.S. policy change to affect thousands of Liberians

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security today gave Liberians one more year to address their immigration status or return to Liberia.

The department said in a news release that the "Temporary Protected Status'' that has given Liberians safe haven in the United States since the 1980s will end on Oct. 1, 2007.

If the change takes place as scheduled, the effect would be that Liberians who have not found an alternative immigration status would have to leave the United States by that date.

The DHS said about 3,600 nationals of Liberia would be affected.

Since the outbreak of civil war in Liberia, Rhode Island has been home to one of the nation's largest communities of Liberian expatriates. The state has a Liberian community of between 10,000 and 15,000 -- proportionately the largest Liberian population in any state.

There is also a large Rhode Island contingent of the children of such Liberians --
now naturalized U.S. citizens.

The TPS program is designed for foreign nationals who have fled here from such dangers as war or natural disaster in their homelands. The DHS said in its news release that conditions in Liberia have improved since the end of the civil war to the extent that TPS is no longer applicable to their status.

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed's office said the Rhode Island congressional delegation will strive to seek a legislative solution for Liberians who face the prospect of having to leave the United States.

-- Journal staff writer John Mulligan

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 3:10 PM | Permalink

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