Liberia Government (Monrovia)
11 February 2009
Monrovia — The Liberian Government says it is in discussions with US Government officials to address the threat of deportation hanging over Liberians residing in the United States of America.
Upon directives of President Johnson Sirleaf, and as a follow up on discussions last year between President Johnson Sirleaf and former US President George Bush on the issue, Liberia's ambassador to the United States, Mr. Nathaniel Barnes has continued discussions with US government officials, particularly members of the United States Congress as well as the incoming administration of President Barack Obama.
In support of the continuing discussions between Liberian and US Government officials to consider an extension in the status of Liberians legally residing in the United States, more than 30 members of the United States Congress have signed a letter, requesting the administration of President Obama for an extension of the Temporary Protective Status for Liberians or grant Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). The request which has a bipartisan support was contained in a letter dated December 19, 2008, expressing deep concern that if TPS for Liberians in the United States were terminated, the country's recovery could be damaged severely and thousands of families separated and uprooted due to forced repatriation.
The leadership of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Congressional members noted, has put Liberia on a pathway to reform by rooting out corruption in the highest level of government, but pointed out, however, that the country's restoration remains a very difficult process. With high unemployment and an infrastructure that is still badly damaged, the US lawmakers argued, Liberia is in no place to welcome home its refugees. An influx of refugees the lawmakers agreed could have a destabilizing effect on the country's fledgling economic and social structures.
One of the unintended consequences of Temporary Protective Status, the lawmakers pointed out in their letter is that the designation never accounted for a protracted conflict. "Many Liberians have been living under TPS for atleast 15-years and in that time, have started families, bought homes and raised American-born children. Liberian-Americans have even answered the call to serve in the United States military," the US law-makers observed.
The statement was signed by Congressmen Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island, Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Chicago; New Jersey Congressman Donald Payne and Sheila Jackson Lee of California, among others. A similar letter was also addressed to the outgoing administration of President George W. Bush in December last year.
Liberia's Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Nathaniel Barnes, has, meanwhile, indicated that in his meetings with several congressmen concerning the matter, they have expressed their commitment to finding a solution that will address the plight of Liberians affected by the threat of deportation.
The Liberian Government, ambassador Barnes says, remains hopeful that a temporary or more permanent solution can be found to avert the threat of deportation hanging over Liberians who fall within the category.
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Every Liberian who was granted temporary status needs to be deported back to Liberia without delay. America has no need for more immigrant foreigners-we have way to many already. My family goes back at least to the 1800's here in this country. We are the real backbone of out beloved America.
hello mr yomaju. i read you comment about your views on deportion of liberian back to the mother land. well you have a right to express yourself in any way you like. let me remain you that if you follow history immigrants has been very involve in building of the us.liberia for one fact during war world 2 liberia assisted the us and its allied to fight against the spread of communism aggression with in africa and the rest of the world that today you are living freely.so my dear brother i am not going to insult you like every body else because you don't know better, but instead educate you okay brother.
Ay people, let us not waste our time on jomaju, he probably did not improve himself from birth to Adult hood. He is just suffering from zenophobia.The Liberian as all other immigrants are improving their lives while he is still having his slave mentality. He needs to remember, it is the African immigrant son in the whitehouse.
Jomaju, you need to do your DNA so that you will know the part of Africa you came from.I am sorry that you came to this country as a Slave,for those Liberian on TPS they came here on air planes. Jomaju, you need to go back on the cotten farm.
Sam:
If any Liberian can attest to this,jomaju does not exist in Liberia. If he do, then he must seek psychological help. I personally agree with congressman Jesse Jackson et al that, Liberians under the Temporary Protective Status, should be granted an extention or amnesty based on the relationship that had existed and continue to exist amongst the two nations. I am calling on the Liberian president to travel to the United States to address congress on this urgent issue and later on have a one on one discussion with the president.
Individuals Paid To Protect Citizens Must Stop Playing Politics With The Lives Of Vulnerable Citizens-
Dear Editor: I read with interest your piece on Liberian immigration but I beg to differ with the content of your article, captioned, Liberia: Government Engages U.S. Administration on Status of Citizens Facing Deportation. According to your article, the Liberian government is doing a lot to help Liberians in the USA. My questions are simple: If the Liberian government is working as hard as it claims and would have us believe, then why are there 7,000 Liberians, mainly women and children at serious risk, in the USA without protected status and without adequate access to the basic human needs of food, clothing and shelter for the past seven years?
In their high profile appearances across America in the past seven (7) years, why haven’t President Sirleaf or Ambassador Barnes mentioned at least once, specifically the plight of the Liberian women and children after they have been petitioned to address this issue?
The point of selective advocacy which excluded the most vulnerable was made in your article: “In support of the continuing discussions between Liberian and US Government officials to consider an extension in the status of Liberians legally residing in the United States.” What’s wrong with the government of Liberia advocating for all Liberians, including those who also fled the brutal war to America but have never been granted protection?
Given the fact that everyday in America human beings need to eat food, clothing and shelter as protection against the harsh winter weather, how has the Liberian government sought to address the basic needs of its citizens in the USA in the past seven years? Your article failed to show exactly concrete actions and measurable objectives the Liberian government has pursued, say in the past three months? Is It all about generalities? Who was met in the Obama Administration? What was asked of the USA? What was the response of the USA? When was the request made?In my opinion, iIt was impossible to show concrete actions in this article because such actions never existed.
The Bible says: “ You have not because you ask not. Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the doors shall be opened…”
When Bush met five presidents from South America in May 2007, they were unanimous about permanent residency for their citizens living illegally in the USA. Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez told Bush: "Undoubtedly, there are many Uruguayans who are waiting, pending legalization of the situation in this country, but I believe your solidarity will help our citizens to be able to live legally in your country."
The problem with African politicians in general isn’t that they don’t ask; rather, it’s what they ask for: Historically, African leaders have been bold in asking for military, security arrangements and foreign aid but timid on protection of their citizens-as can be seen in the thousands of illegal Kenyans across America and the seven-year old plight of 7000 Liberian women and children in the USA. It doesn’t make sense to me that anyone would be loud on seeking an extension of protection for 3600 people and silent when it comes to 7,000 women and children.
If any government needs to boldly push for protection of all of its citizens in the USA, the Liberia ought to have been be the first because of its relationship to the USA. Indeed President Ellen Sirleaf, in her address to the Congress in 2006 called for Liberians to return home and for the United States to protect and even grant permanent, “where appropriate” to Liberians who could not return. The president doesn’t live in the USA and she can’t do everything. There is where the Ambassador must step in. This is not politics! I am talking about the basic human needs of food, clothing and shelter for 7000 people. Those who ignore the plight of these women and children people get a monthly salary, breakfast every morning, lunch and dinner and sent their children to bed every night. At a time when thousands, including women and children are going to bed hungry in a country with plenty, officials of government, Liberian and Americans need to be held accountable for denying vulnerable refugees and young children access to food, clothing and shelter. The war in Liberia killed over 250,000 people. What I am asking the Liberian government to do for Liberians who fled to the USA is something that has been done for so many other people who faced similar situations in their native country:.
I will show examples of why it is necessary to be specific in asking, seeking and knocking. According to the Bible, people get results when they ask, seek and knock. While Liberians have been sitting waiting for years, other who came after them got results after asking, seeking and knocking: In 1988, Congress passed a law allowing four national groups who had been allowed to stay in the U.S. at the discretion of the Attorney General to adjust to permanent residency status: 4,996 Poles who had been here for four years, 387 Ugandans who had been here for ten years, 565 Afghanis who had been here for eight years, and 1,180 Ethiopians who had been here for eleven years.
The 102nd Congress passed a law which allowed Chinese nationals who had been granted DED after the Tiananmen Square incident to adjust to permanent residency. Over the next four years, 52,968 Chinese changed their status. The 105th Congress passed legislation known as NACARA. Under this law, 150,000 Nicaraguans, 5,000 Cubans, 200,000 El Salvadorans and 50,000 Guatemalans who have been living in the U.S. since the 1980s are eligible to adjust to permanent residency status. The Bible says: “ You have not because you ask not. Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the doors shall be opened…” If the best representation Liberia affords translates into 7000 Liberian women and countless young American children of Liberian descent languishing in the country where ten (10) Presidents of Liberia were born and educated, then I would be bold to say Liberia deserves a better representation; one that is not timid to present the plight of citizens in convincing way; one that is not concerned about political ambitions to the detriments of refugees and one that simply obeys the Holy Book: Asks, seeks and knocks for the benefit of citizens of the Republic of Liberia. Anyone who ate a meal today would agree with me that this is not too much to ask a person who earns a salary in the name of Liberia. Those who choose to ignore the plight of refugees don't need to blow a trumpet about what they know they don't want to do. Most Liberian politicians pride themselves in attending American universities and being friends with American leaders because they attended the same schools. But if their contacts education, history can't get the basic human needs of food, clothing and shelter for vulnerable refugees at their deepest times of need, the contact may be good for nothing, so far as the refugees are concerned. Why? Because seven years in limbo, without access to the basic human needs of food, clothing and shelter in 2009 is a bit too long and seven years of insensitivity is a little too much for young American citizens airlifted from Liberia and Liberian refugee women languishing in the harsh winter weather of America since October 1, 2002.
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