Letter to President George W. Bush

August 12, 2004

Dear Mr. President:

I write to urge you to extend the current Temporary Protected Status (TPS) order for Liberians which expires on October 1, 2004, or in the alternative, grant Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).

As you know, in December 1989, Liberia was engulfed by a devastating civil war that lasted for seven years and continues to destabilize the country. Over 150,000 people died and more than one-half of the population fled the country or became internally displaced. During the conflict, food production was halted and the country's infrastructure was destroyed.

Several thousand Liberians who were forced from their homes because of the civil war sought refuge in the United States. In 1991, Attorney General Barr granted Liberians who were present in the United States temporary protected status. Since the conflict in Liberia continued to rage, successive Attorneys General extended TPS each year for the next six years. Conditions in Liberia deteriorated to such an extent in 1996 that the Attorney General "redesignated" TPS for Liberians who arrived after the original TPS designation. Never before in history had an Attorney General been compelled to redesignate a nation for TPS.

In July of 1999, Attorney General Reno announced she planned to terminate TPS for Liberians living in the United States. However, on September 27, 1999, President Clinton approved Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) which allowed all non-citizen Liberians who were in the U.S. as of September 28, 1999 to remain in the country and work for one additional year. When turmoil continued in Liberia, DED was extended in 2000 and 2001 as well. In 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft once again designated TPS and extended it in 2003.

As you know, the country of Liberia is still in turmoil after the recent violence in the nation and the ouster in August 2003 of its former president, Charles Taylor, who is currently in hiding in Nigeria to avoid a war crimes tribunal. This international arrest warrant shows just how brutal the situation has been over the past fourteen years for the people of Liberia. Violence, while lessened, continues and the country's infrastructure has been destroyed: In June, I met with Liberia's chairman of the transitional government, Gyude Bryant, and he expressed his concern that his nation was unable to repatriate the large numbers of Liberians living abroad.

On July 29, 2004, the State Department updated a long-standing travel warning urging U.S. citizens not to travel to Liberia due to unstable conditions. It cites the continued fighting between rebel and government forces which flare up in the countryside and notes, "There is no effective police force in Liberia at this time." In addition, the State Department prohibits dependents from traveling to Liberia with Department personnel. I do not believe the U.S. can, in good conscience, deport individuals who have been upstanding members of our community for a decade to Liberia when the U.S. government discourages its own citizens from traveling there, particularly when many Liberians have children who are U.S. citizens.

Liberians living in the United States look forward to an end to the violence and intimidation in their homeland, but that time has not arrived. They entered this country seeking peace and security, and we have recognized that fact on a bipartisan basis for a decade. I therefore urge you to extend TPS for an additional year until October 1, 2005, and I appreciate your past extension of this policy.

I hope that as you consider immigration issues you will keep in mind the need to develop a long-term solution to the plight of the Liberians legally residing in the U.S. I look forward to working with you on this issue.

Sincerely,

Jack Reed
United States Senator