DHS Announces 12-Month Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Liberia
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a 12-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Liberia until October 1, 2006. Under this extension, those who have already been granted TPS are eligible to live and work in the United States for an additional year and continue to maintain their TPS status. Persons covered by this extension must promptly re-register with USCIS using the instructions below.
Section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (the “Secretary”) to grant TPS to aliens in the United States who are nationals of countries that are suffering the effects of ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. On August 25, 2004, the Secretary re-designated TPS for Liberia based on the extraordinary and temporary conditions existing in Liberia that prevent nationals of Liberia from returning to Liberia in safety. Since that time, the U.S. Government has continued to examine conditions in Liberia and DHS has determined that an extension of TPS is warranted because the extraordinary and temporary conditions that prompted the current re-designation persist.
The extension of Liberia’s designation for TPS is effective October 1, 2005 and will remain in effect until October 1, 2006. Nationals of Liberia (or those with no nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia) who have been granted TPS must re-register for the 12-month extension during the 60-day re-registration period, which begins on August 16, 2005 and will remain in effect until October 14, 2005. To ensure timely scheduling for biometric collection at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Application Support Center (ASC) and to prevent a lapse in employment authorization, Liberia TPS beneficiaries are encouraged to file their applications as quickly as possible.
To ensure minimal disruption of employment authorization while TPS re-registration applications are processed, a sticker will be affixed to the current EAD of an eligible TPS beneficiary at the time biometrics are collected at the ASC. This sticker will extend the current EAD through February 28, 2006. Therefore, all re-registrants who have previously been issued a TPS-related EAD must bring their current EAD to the ASC. They should bring their ASC appointment notice and TPS receipt notice. Note that the EAD extension sticker will be provided only at the ASC. The USCIS district offices and sub-offices will not be providing this service.
