THOSE ON DED CAN REST NA...BILL HAS BEEN EXTENDED FOR 18 MONTHS

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release


March 19, 2010

Presidential Memorandum-- Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBJECT: Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians
Since 1991, the United States has provided safe haven for Liberians
who were forced to flee their country as a result of armed conflict and
widespread civil strife, in part through granting Temporary Protected
Status (TPS). The armed conflict ended in 2003 and conditions improved
such that TPS ended effective October 1, 2007. President Bush then
deferred the enforced departure of the Liberians originally granted TPS.
I extended that grant of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to March 31, 2010.

I have determined that there are compelling foreign policy
reasons to again extend DED to those Liberians presently residing in the
United States under the existing grant of DED.
Pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct the foreign
relations of the United States, I have determined that it is in the
foreign policy interest of the United States to defer for 18 months the
removal of any Liberian national, or person without nationality who last
habitually resided in Liberia, who is present in the United States and
who is under a grant of DED as of March 31, 2010. The grant of DED only
applies to an individual who has continuously resided in the United
States since October 1, 2002, except for Liberian nationals, or persons
without nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia:

(1) who are ineligible for TPS for the reasons provided in section
244(c)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C.
1254a(c)(2)(B);
(2) whose removal you determine is in the interest of the United States;
(3) whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of
State has reasonable grounds to believe would have potentially serious
adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States;
(4) who have voluntarily returned to Liberia or his or her country of
last habitual residence outside the United States;
(5) who were deported, excluded, or removed prior to the date of this
memorandum; or
(6) who are subject to extradition.
Accordingly, I direct you to take the necessary steps to implement
for eligible Liberians:

(1) a deferral of enforced departure from the United States for 18 months from March 31, 2010; and
(2) authorization for employment for 18 months from March 31, 2010.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-deferred-enforced-departure-liberians