[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41463-41464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19700]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service
[INS No. 1953-99; AG Order No. 2236-99]


Termination of Designation of Liberia Under the Temporary 
Protected Status Program

AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Attorney General's most recent designation of Liberia 
under the Temporary Protected Status program (TPS) expires on September 
28, 1999. After reviewing country conditions and consulting with the 
appropriate Government agencies, the Attorney General has determined 
that conditions in Liberia no longer support a TPS designation. 
Accordingly, the designation of Liberia for TPS is terminated effective 
September 28, 1999. After that date, aliens who are nationals of 
Liberia (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided 
in Liberia) who have had TPS under the Liberia program will no longer 
have such status. This notice contains information regarding the 
termination of the TPS designation for Liberia.

DATES: The termination of the TPS designation for Liberia is effective 
September 28, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Valverde, Office of 
Adjudications, Residence and Status Branch, Immigration and 
Naturalization Service, Room 3040, 425 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20536, telephone (202) 514-4754.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

What Is the Statutory Authority for the Designation and Termination 
of a TPS?

    Under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the Act), 
8 U.S.C. 1254a, the Attorney General is authorized to designate a 
foreign state (or part of a state) for TPS. The Attorney General must 
then grant TPS to eligible nationals of that foreign state (or aliens 
having no nationality who last habitually resided in that state). 
Section 244(b)(3)(A) of the Act requires the Attorney General to 
review, at least 60 days before the end of the TPS designation, the 
conditions in a foreign state designated under section 244(b)(1) of the 
Act. 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3)(A).
    Section 244(b)(3) further requires the Attorney General to 
determine whether the conditions for such a designation continue to be 
met, and to terminate the state's designation when the Attorney General 
determines conditions are no longer met. 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3)(B). The 
Attorney General must then publish a notice of termination in the 
Federal Register.

Why Did the Attorney General Decide To Terminate TPS for Liberia?

    On September 29, 1998, the Attorney General published a notice re-
designating Liberia for TPS for a period of one year, based upon 
conditions in Liberia at that time. 63 FR 51958 (Sept. 29, 1998). That 
TPS designation is scheduled to expire on September 28, 1999.
    Based upon a more recent review of conditions within Liberia by the 
Departments of Justice and State, the Attorney General finds that 
conditions no longer support a TPS designation. A Department of State 
memorandum concerning Liberia states that ``[t]he divisive civil war in 
Liberia which began in 1990 ended with the Abuja Peace Accords in 1996. 
Since 1997, the country in general has not experienced ongoing armed 
conflict. In September 1998, violence erupted suddenly in Monrovia.* * 
* Since then, however, no further general conflict has occurred.'' The 
memorandum also states that ``Although conditions in Liberia remain 
difficult, the overall situation is not sufficiently adverse to prevent 
most Liberian nationals in the U.S. from returning to Liberia in 
safety.'' It concludes, ``The Department of State finds that sufficient 
grounds to recommend a further extension of TPS for Liberia do not 
exist. We therefore recommend that TPS for Liberia be terminated on its 
current expiration date of September 28, 1999.''
    Based on these findings, the Attorney General has decided to 
terminate the designation of Liberia for TPS.

What Can I Do If I Feel That My Return To Liberia Is Unsafe?

    This notice terminates the designation of Liberia under the TPS 
program. There may be avenues of immigration relief available to aliens 
who are nationals of Liberia (and aliens having no nationality who last 
habitually resided in Liberia) in the United States who believe that 
their particular circumstances make return to Liberia unsafe. Such 
avenues may include, but are not limited to, asylum or withholding of 
removal.

[[Page 41464]]

How Does The Termination of TPS Effect Former TPS Beneficiaries?

    After the designation of Liberia for TPS is terminated on September 
28, 1999, those aliens who are nationals of Liberia (and aliens having 
no nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia) will revert back 
to the immigration status they had prior to TPS, unless they have been 
granted another immigration status. They stay of removal and 
eligibility for employment authorization due to the designation of 
Liberia under the TPS program will no longer be avaiable. However, the 
termination of the TPS designation for Liberia will not affect any 
pending applications for other forms of immigration relief.
    Those persons who received TPS under the Liberian designation may 
begin accruing unlawful presence as of September 29, 1999, if they have 
not been granted any other immigration benefit or have no application 
for such a benefit pending. Aliens who accrue certain periods of 
unlawful presence in the United States may be barred from admission to 
the United States under section 212(a)(9)(B)(i) of the Act. See 8 
U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(i).

Notice of Termination of Designation of Liberia Under the TPS 
Program

    By the authority vested in me as Attorney General under section 
244(b)(3) of the Act, I have consulted with the appropriate agencies of 
Government concerning conflict and security conditions in Liberia. 8 
U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3). Based on these consultations, I have determined 
that Liberia no longer meets the conditions for designation of TPS 
under section 244(b)(1) of the Act. See 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1).
    The civil war in Liberia ended in 1996, with the exception of some 
armed violence in September 1998. This eruption of violence resulted in 
the Department of State's September 1998 recommendation to extent TPS 
for an additional year. Since that time, however, no further general 
conflict has occurred. I also understand, that, even though the country 
has made little progress in recovering from the war, the return of 
persons to Liberia would not result in a danger to their personal 
safety. In view of the recommendations of the Departments of Justice 
and State for termination, I terminate the designation of Liberia under 
the TPS program.
    Accordingly, I order as follows:
    (1) The designation of Liberia for TPS under section 244(b) of the 
Act is terminated effective September 28, 1999.
    (2) I estimate that there are no more than 10,000 nationals of 
Liberia (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided 
in Liberia) who have been previously granted TPS.
    (3) Information concerning the termination of the TPS program for 
nationals of Liberia (and aliens having no nationality who last 
habitually resided in Liberia) will be available at local Service 
offices upon publication of this notice.

    Dated: July 28, 1999.
Janet Reno,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. 99-19700 Filed 7-28-99; 12:46 pm]
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