She trots the American landscape with a message carefully scripted and well delivered, covering a myriad of issues central to the aspirations of Liberian everywhere.
“As much as we need their skills, we could not absorb all of them if they all decided to return at once,” the President said of Liberians whose temporary legal relief called Deferred Enforced Departure, DED, has been a source of vexing frustrations.
While she passionately highlighted every single national policy issue as if the progress of her people depended on it, she never forgot to throw her weight behind efforts to secure permanent resident status for thousands of Liberians in the United States.
Affectionately called ‘The Iron Lady,’ the Liberian leader assured her compatriots that her government will continue to work with the current Obama administration and congressional leaders, to obtain a permanent status for Liberians.
Addressing the distinguished Carlson Lecture Series at the University of Minnesota on Friday, the President said she would happily welcome the return and contribution of Liberians in the Diaspora, but repeated that an abrupt repatriation of Liberians could undermine the country’s ability to absorb a large number of Liberian returnees.
It can be recalled that President Barack Obama recently came to the rescue of thousands of affected Liberians with a twelve-month extension of DED.
A White House release, signed by Mr. Obama, said Liberians who have lived in the United States for almost two decades should not be forced to return to a country which is still struggling to provide basic services to its citizens.
President Obama: “Liberia is on its way to once again becoming a stable country with a thriving economy. But this progress must be protected. We believe the United States needs to do all that is necessary to assist in the reemergence of Liberia. We believe it would be very beneficial for both countries if the Liberians living in the United States are allowed to remain. We therefore request that the Attorney General grant Liberians a reprieve from imminent deportation and that the class granted DED cover all eligible Liberians, including those who arrived after October 2002.”
While President Obama’s action provided a much needed relief, many observers still see a twelve-month period as just around the corner, and the Liberian problem would have to be visited sooner than later.
