ALERT: President Biden issued a Memorandum on Extending Eligibility for Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians to the secretaries of state and homeland security that defers through June 30, 2026, the removal of certain Liberian nationals, or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia, who were eligible for DED under the president’s 2022 memorandum, including individuals who have been continuously present in the United States since May 20, 2017.
In addition, President Biden continued through June 30, 2026, employment authorization for these individuals. For more information, see the Federal Register notice.
What deferred enforced departure for Liberians means?
This alert refers to a Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) extension issued by President Biden for certain Liberian nationals and individuals without nationality who last resided in Liberia.
- Deferred Enforced Departure (DED):
- DED is a temporary immigration status granted by the U.S. government that allows certain individuals to remain in the United States and avoid deportation for a specific period, even if they lack lawful immigration status.
- Who is Affected:
- This extension applies to Liberian nationals or individuals without nationality who last resided in Liberia.
- It specifically covers individuals who were eligible for DED under a previous memorandum issued in 2022.
- To qualify, these individuals must have been continuously present in the United States since May 20, 2017.
- Extension Period:
- The extension defers removal (deportation) of these individuals through June 30, 2026.
- Employment Authorization:
- In addition to deferring removal, the memorandum extends employment authorization for these individuals through the same date—June 30, 2026.
- This means they are allowed to work legally in the United States during this period.
- Federal Register Notice:
- For more details, the notice regarding this DED extension can be found in the Federal Register, which is the official source of U.S. government rules, proposed rules, and notices.
In summary, President Biden’s memorandum extends protections for eligible Liberian nationals by deferring deportation and allowing them to continue working in the U.S. until June 30, 2026. This gives affected individuals additional time to resolve their immigration status or benefit from potential future policy changes.
Lear more at USCIS website.