Extension of Employment Authorization for Liberian Nationals Covered Under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) automatically extended employment authorization for Liberian nationals covered under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) through Sept. 30, 2010—following President Obama’s announcement today of his decision to extend DED through Sept. 30, 2011, for qualified Liberians and those persons without nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia.  The sixth-month automatic extension of existing Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) will permit eligible Liberians to continue working while they file their applications for new EADs that will cover the full twelve months of the DED extension and for USCIS to complete processing and issuance of those new EADs.

Although DED was scheduled to end for Liberian nationals on March 31, 2010, President Obama determined that there are compelling foreign policy reasons to continue deferring enforced departure from the United States for eligible Liberian nationals presently living in the United States under the existing grant of DED for 18 additional months.

Certain individuals are ineligible for DED, including Liberians who did not have Temporary Protected Status on September 30, 2007 and are therefore not covered under current DED, certain criminals, persons subject to the mandatory bars to Temporary Protected Status, and persons whose removal is in the interest of the United States.

In addition to automatically extending the validity of employment authorization documents for Liberian nationals covered under DED, USCIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register with instructions for these individuals on how to obtain employment authorization for the remainder of the DED extension.

For Questions and Answers on Deferred Enforced Departure Extended for Liberians check attachment.