Grant of Deferred Enforced Departure Extended for Liberians

In a memorandum issued March 18, 2010, President Barack Obama directed Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to extend Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberians for 18 months, from April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011. This DED extension applies only to Liberian nationals and individuals without nationality who last resided in Liberia who are physically present in the U.S., have held Temporary Protected Status (TPS) since September 30, 2007, and were covered by DED through March 31, 2010. The extension does not apply to certain individuals convicted of crimes, those subject to TPS bars, and those whose removal is determined to be in the interest of the United States.

Individuals eligible for this DED extension received an automatic six-month renewal of their work authorization (Employment Authorization Document or "EAD"), and must apply separately for the full 18-month EAD renewal as well as for permission to travel during the DED validity period.

Employers may continue to employ individuals affected by this designation by attaching the Federal Register notice to the employee’s I-9 (if the employee's EAD has expired) and updating Section 3 of the employee’s I-9 upon receipt of the employee’s new EAD card.

DED is a temporary protection from removal designated by the President of the United States for individuals from home countries deemed to be unsafe to return to for a variety of reasons including ongoing armed conflict and environmental disasters.