President Trump Extends Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians Days Before Deadline

On March 28, 2019, President Trump extended the wind-down period for deferred enforced departure (DED) for Liberians through March 30, 2020. The extension delays the termination of DED for Liberia, which was scheduled for March 31, 2019.

Much like temporary protected status, DED provides temporary relief from removal to nationals of designated countries, often due to dangerous or unstable conditions in the foreign country. While DED does not confer legal status, it does allow beneficiaries the opportunity to remain in the United States and to apply for employment authorization.

In March 2018, President Trump allowed Liberia’s DED designation to expire based on his findings that conditions in Liberia had improved. He gave DED beneficiaries one year to wind down their affairs in the United States and return to Liberia. On March 8, 2019, a group of DED beneficiaries filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenging the program’s termination.

Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to these changes and will post updates on our immigration blog as additional information becomes available.