United States: Whether Liberians have a special status in the United States, particularly ethnic American-Liberians
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1991 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | USA8115 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, United States: Whether Liberians have a special status in the United States, particularly ethnic American-Liberians, 1 March 1991, USA8115, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aabb40.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a Consular Officer of the United States in Ottawa, as indicated in a telephone communication with the IRBDC on 20 March 1991, Liberian nationals in the U.S. are not returned to their country. Since the civil war began, Liberian nationals are protected from being returned to Liberia. The source added that this is a temporary measure, which may be discontinued once the Liberian conflict is over. The measure is based on nationality, not ethnicity.
A member of the Minnesota Lawyers International Human Rights Committee, in a telephone communication with the IRBDC on 20 March 1991, corroborated the above information and added some details. The source stated that the Attorney General of the United States announced in February 1991 that Liberian nationals would be granted a temporary protected status. However, this measure has not been published yet, so it is not officially in effect. Many Liberians are currently under the "Extended Voluntary Departure" status, which effectively means some are undergoing deportation proceedings. Nevertheless, these deportation proceedings are not expected to result in actual deportation of any individuals and no individuals are being sent to Liberia. The Extended Voluntary Departure for Liberians remains in effect until 31 March 1991 and, according to the source, the Attorney General may be waiting for the expiration date of this status before publishing and putting into effect the Temporary Protected Status. The source added that under the Temporary Protected Status individuals can obtain work permits and are legally protected from deportation, pointing out that the status will likely have a duration of one year, after which it will be renewed, replaced by some other status or simply expire. In the latter case, Liberians would have to seek a specific status on an individual basis. Finally, the source indicated that both of the abovementioned status affect Liberian nationals regardless of their ethnicity.
