Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians

Since 1991, the United States has provided safe haven for  Liberians who were forced to flee their country as a result  of armed conflict and widespread civil strife, in part through  granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The armed conflict  ended in 2003 and conditions improved such that TPS ended  effective October 1, 2007. President Bush then deferred the  enforced departure of the Liberians originally granted TPS.  That grant of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) expires on  March 31, 2009. I have determined that there are compelling  foreign policy reasons to extend DED to those Liberians presently  residing in the United States under the existing grant of DED.  Pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct the foreign  relations of the United States, I have determined that it is  in the foreign policy interest of the United States to defer  for 12 months the removal of any Liberian national, or person  without nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia,  who is present in the United States and who is under a grant  of DED as of March 31, 2009. The grant of DED only applies to  an individual who has continuously resided in the United States  since October 1, 2002, except for Liberian nationals, or persons  without nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia: (1) who are ineligible for TPS for the reasons provided in  section 244(c)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality  Act, 8 U.S.C. 1254a(c)(2)(B);  (2) whose removal you determine is in the interest of the  United States;  (3) whose presence or activities in the United States the  Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe  would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy  consequences for the United States;  (4) who have voluntarily returned to Liberia or his or  her country of last habitual residence outside the  United States;  (5) who were deported, excluded, or removed prior to the  date of this memorandum; or (6) who are subject to extradition. Accordingly, I direct you to take the necessary steps to implement for eligible Liberians: (Barack Obama)