DHS Announces Temporary Protected Status Designations for Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone
Press release from US Citizenship and Immigration Services: Due to the outbreak of Ebola
virus disease in West Africa, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson
has announced his decision to designate Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra
Leone for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. As a result,
eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone who are
currently residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Federal Register
notices provide details and procedures for applying for TPS and are
available at www.uscis.gov/tps.
The TPS designations for the 3 countries are effective Nov. 21, 2014 and will be in effect for 18
months. The designations mean that eligible nationals of Liberia,
Guinea, and Sierra Leone (and people without nationality who last
habitually resided in one of those three countries) will not be removed
from the United States and are authorized to work and obtain an
Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The 180-day TPS registration
period begins Nov. 21, 2014 and runs through May 20, 2015.
To be eligible for TPS,
applicants must demonstrate that they satisfy all eligibility criteria,
including that they have been “continuously residing” in the United
States since Nov. 20, 2014 and “continuously physically present in” the
United States since Nov. 21, 2014. Applicants also undergo thorough
security checks. Individuals with certain criminal records or who pose a
threat to national security are not eligible for TPS. The eligibility
requirements are fully described in the Federal Register notices and on
the TPS Web page at www.uscis.gov/tps
Liberians currently covered
under the 2-year extension of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) based
on President Obama’s Sept. 26, 2014 memorandum may apply for TPS. If
they do not apply for TPS within the initial 180-day registration
period, they risk being ineligible for TPS because they will have missed
the initial registration period. Liberians covered by DED who already
possess or have applied for an EAD do not need to also apply for one
related to this TPS designation. However, such individuals who are
granted TPS may request a TPS-related EAD at a later date as long as the
TPS designation for Liberia remains in effect.
Applicants may request that
USCIS waive any or all fees based on demonstrated inability to pay by
filing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or by submitting a written
request. Fee-waiver requests must be accompanied by supporting
documentation. USCIS will reject any TPS application that does not
include the required filing fee or a properly documented fee-waiver
request.
All USCIS forms are free. Applicants can download these forms from the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/forms or request them by calling USCIS toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.
