President Donald Trump announced March 27 that Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberia would end after a “12-month wind-down period.
“Liberia is no longer experiencing armed conflict and has made significant progress in restoring stability and democratic governance,” a statement from the White House read. “Liberia has also concluded reconstruction from prior conflicts, which has contributed significantly to an environment that is able to handle adequately the return of its nationals.”
Eligibility for Liberians under DED will end March 31, 2019. The 12-month grace period, however, does not apply to a number of categories, according to the statement. These include those ineligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under certain conditions, those deemed security threats, and a number of other categories.
Liberians were first granted TPS or DED in March 1991. President Bill Clinton authorized DED for a year in 1999 after the end of a civil war in the country, and Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama extended DED a number of times during their administrations for instability in the country—from conflict to disease. The last extension was an 18-month extension in 2016 by Obama.
“Through consultation with appropriate executive departments and agencies and my advisors, I have been informed that conditions in Liberia have improved,” the White House statement read. “The 2014 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease caused a tragic loss of life and economic damage to the country, but Liberia has made tremendous progress in its ability to diagnose and contain future outbreaks of the disease.”
Read the entire White House Statement here.
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