In 2007, President George W. Bush directed that Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) be provided for 18 months to certain Liberians in the United States whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was expiring on September 30, 2007. President Bush further directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue procedures for granting work authorization to DED-covered Liberians. In March 2009, President Obama extended DED for Liberians an additional 12 months. In March 2010, August 2011 and March 2013, President Obama extended DED for Liberians an additional 18 months each time. In September of 2013, President Obama extended DED for Liberians an additional 24 months. In September of 2016, President Obama extended DED for Liberians an additional 18 months.

For more information on these presidential directives, see the external links to the right. For more information about DED, see the “Deferred Enforced Departure” page.

You are eligible for Liberian DED if you:

• Are a Liberian national, or someone with no nationality (stateless) who last resided in Liberia;
• Are in the United States;
• Have lived in the United States since October 1, 2002;
• Had TPS on September 30, 2007;
• Were covered by DED on September 30, 2016; and
• Are not otherwise ineligible for DED as stated in President Obama’s directive dated September 28, 2016 (see the Presidential Memorandum).

Work Authorization

You may request work authorization under DED by filing a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. If you want permission to work in the United States, you must file this form to receive an employment authorization document (EAD). To do this you must submit:

• An Application for Employment Authorization, Form I-765, indicating that you were a beneficiary of Liberian TPS as of September 30, 2007, and were covered by DED for Liberians on September 30, 2016;
• A copy of your last Form I-797, Notice of Action, showing you were approved for TPS as of September 30, 2007; and
• The $380 filing fee (or a fee waiver request)

Mail your completed Form I-765 to:

USCIS
Attn:  DED Liberia
P.O. Box 6943
Chicago, IL  60680-6943

Travel Outside the United States

Travel authorization may be provided as a benefit to DED-Liberian beneficiaries. To travel outside of the United States you must file for advance parole. If granted by DHS, advance parole gives you permission to leave the United States and return during a specified period. To request advance parole, you must file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.

If you leave the United States without first receiving advanced parole, you may no longer be eligible for DED and may not be permitted to re-enter the United States.

NOTE: Pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum, if you return to Liberia (even with an advanced parole), you may be considered as voluntarily returning to Liberia, and therefore no longer eligible for DED.