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President Obama Extends DED for Liberians in the U.S.

   Anthony Kesselly of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas
   says  his  group will now work for permanent resident status for those
   Liberians on DED

   James Butty 21 March 2010
   President Barack Obama at the White House, 18 Mar 2010

Photo: AP

   President Barack Obama at the White House, 18 Mar 2010

   U.S.  President  Barack  Obama  has extended for 18 months the special
   immigration  status  for  about 4,000 Liberians who fled to the United
   States during Liberiaâs civil war.

   The  renewal  of  the  Deferred  Enforced Departure (DED) takes effect
   March 31, 2010.

   Although  the  Liberian  civil war officially ended in 2003, President
   George  W.  Bush  in  2007  deferred  the  enforced departure of those
   Liberians who originally were granted Temporary Protected Status.

   In a memorandum to the Secretary of Homeland Security, President Obama
   cited âcompelling foreign policy interestâ for extending the DED.

   Anthony  Kesselly,  president of the Union of Liberian Associations in
   the  Americas  (ULAA)  said  his  organization  is  working with other
   immigration  activists to eventually get permanent resident status for
   those Liberians on the DED.

   âAll  Liberians, both those on DED and those of us who are necessarily
   on  it  are  very,  very  happy and we are very grateful to the United
   States  government,  particularly  President  Obama.  And  we are very
   thankful  to all of our allies who helped us through this process,â he
   said.

   Kesselly  said  even  though  Liberia has had a democratically elected
   government  for  the  past  five years, the country is not yet stabled
   enough to handle Liberians who might be deported from the U.S.

   âAs  much  as there is some process on the ground in Liberia, we still
   are  not  convinced by the figures we have â unemployment, shortage of
   infrastructure,   crime  and  other  things.  To  instantly  transport
   thousands  of  Liberians who are here and productively contributing to
   the economy of Liberiaâ¦and make them a liability⦠we just think itâs
   not  going to be either good for Liberia and its economy or the people
   who are going to be uprooted,â he Kesselly said.

   Immigration rally in Washington

   Liberians  were  among tens of thousands of demonstrators who gathered
   in  Washington,  D.C.  Sunday  to  urge  U.S.  lawmakers to reform the
   countryâs immigration system.

   Kesselly  said  the  Union  of  Liberian  Associations in the Americas
   (ULAA)  is  working  with  other  immigration  activists to work for a
   comprehensive   immigration  reform  that  would  eventually  lead  to
   permanent resident status for those Liberians on the DED.

   âLiberians  have  been  urged  by  ULAA to participate in all of their
   state  groupings.  As  a matter of fact, we are pouring on Washington,
   D.C.   March   21^st  to  take  part  in  a  rally  for  comprehensive
   immigration.  Even  the people that work with us in the Congress, this
   is the path they think will eventually address the immigration problem
   in the country as a whole,â Kesselly said.

   Liberiaâs Ambassador to the United States Milton Nathaniel Barnes also
   thanked  President Obama for extending the Deferred Enforced Departure
   of Liberians.

   âI  believe  President  Obamaâs  action  is a manifestation of his own
   wisdom  and sensitivity about the issues of Liberians existing here in
   the  Diaspora.  I also believe the extension of the DED represents the
   openness and generosity of the people of America,â he said.

   Ambassador  Barnes  said  although  the  government of President Ellen
   Johnson  Sirleaf  is  pleased by the extension, yet it finds itself in
   somewhat of a predicament.

   âThe  government finds itself in something of a dilemma. We do want to
   encourage  Liberians  to come home because we believe that it is safe,
   but  at  the  same  time  we  want  them  to  come  home in a managed,
   controlled   way  that  there  will  be  appropriate  jobs  for  them,
   appropriate   structure   that  will  allow  them  to  make  a  smooth
   transition,â Barnes said.

   Ambassador Barnes encouraged Liberians benefiting from the DED renewal
   to  work  toward regularizing their immigration status while extending
   similar generosity to their fellow Liberians in Liberia.

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