Washington, D.C-Friends of Liberia (FOL), recently voted to urge President Barack Obama to renew the extension of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberians in the U.S for another 18 months.DED is set to expire at the end of March 2010. Already, 3600 Liberians are currently covered under the DED.   At the meeting held in Washington, members of FOL board of trustees also voted to respectfully request extending DED to Liberians who entered the United States after October 1, 2002 but were not covered by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation of August 7, 2003. 

The Liberians excluded from TPS/DED benefits include those evacuated from Monrovia in June 2003 during U.S. Military deployment code named Operation Shining Express, who were granted visas to escort vulnerable young American citizens during the evacuation.   On March 20, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Order extending DED only to Liberians with TPS, who entered the United States before October 1, 2002. Prior to voting to extend coverage for Liberians in the U.S. currently not covered under DED, FOL Advocacy Committee Chair, Rev. Torli Krua gave five reasons why the measure is urgently needed at this time. He outlined that there are long standing American Tradition and precedent of extending TPS/DED to foreign nationals from designated countries who are 'physically present' in the U.S. at the time of TPS/DED designation must also apply to Liberians. TPS/DED designation has been extended to dozens of countries and in all but one, protection is granted to individuals 'physically present' in the U.S. Examples include President Bush Sr., in 1991, President Clinton in 1999 and President George W. Bush in 2001. The 2010 TPS designation covered all Haitians 'physically present' in the U.S. “Similarly circumstanced” Liberians evacuated to the USA because of violence and bloodshed that necessitated TPS/DED should also   be extended equal protection. 

Other reasons provided by the FOL are that there is a compelling U.S. government interest in extending coverage to Liberians excluded from TPS/DED since 2002. By protecting Liberians who entered after 2002 during the height of violence and bloodshed in June 2003 protection is automatically extended to many young American citizens evacuated during the same period with Liberian adult escorts. For seven years the evacuated Americans and their Liberian adult escorts remain in limbo and continue to suffer needlessly, while 'equally circumstanced' Liberians enjoy TPS/DED benefits. One of the goals of the U.S. Military deployment, Operation Shining Express (OSE) was evacuation of Americans to safety. As long as those Liberian adults escorts transported to America are in limbo, the purpose of OSE remains defeated. 

He also made the President to understand that extending protected status of TPS/DED to Liberians who sought refuge from the violence and bloodshed and those evacuated to safety in 2003 is consistent with the 'Equal Protection' clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and that the  Friends of Liberia's request is consistent with the expressed wishes of President Sirleaf who requested extension of TPS/DED, President Obama, who issued an Executive Order in March 2009 granting DED to Liberians and the Liberian community who have always lobbied for protecting Liberians in the USA. Among other things, the FOL said in addition to the benefits of fulfilling the goals of U.S. Military Operation Shining Express of 2003, following the precedents of past Republican and Democrat administrations, satisfying the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, extending TPS/DED costs the government nothing. In fact, in a time of global economic downturn, TPS/DED is a new revenue stream for the Obama Administration. More importantly, in the harsh winter weather of 2010, these young American evacuees and Liberian refugees might die unnecessarily of winter related causes.   

On November 18, 2003, the Massachusetts Delegation to Congress wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, urging him to extend TPS to those Liberians who entered the United States after October 1, 2003. The request was not granted and no justifications were given as to the reasons for denial of TPS to 'similarly circumstanced' Liberians who entered the U.S. legally solely for caring for vulnerable American citizens from a country designated for TPS and evacuated to America through a U.S Military campaign: Operation Shining Express. Because of growing congressional support for extending protection to those Liberian and American evacuees in limbo for the past seven years, FOL is also writing supporting members of Congress to add their voices in urging President Obama to renew DED for another 18 months and include those vulnerable Liberians excluded from TPS/DED since 2003.