Georgetown Law & UBN Life on Hold

Immigration Policy Impacts on Liberian Community Members

“ “

It makes it impossible to plan every year. Because every year you don’t know if it is going to renew. It makes it hard to put down roots. It makes it really difficult to plan long-term. It’s even hard to know if you should fully decorate because you don’t know if you’re going to be here for very long. It makes it difficult for employers to want to hire you.

”

- Z.J., North Carolina

The effect [of losing DED and returning to Liberia], one and foremost is like going to a new land. Like taking and sending you miles away from your support. As I speak to you, I am thinking about my 17-year-old daughter. I do everything for my daughter. She’s not on welfare or anything. I do everything for my daughter. Even right now she’s in the academy, into music and athleticism. All those things I pay for. No scholarship or anything. I am paying out of pocket. So right now I do not know what will happen to her if I am not here. The other ones are married and moving on but my daughter concerns me. The bond that we share. I don’t know, you know sometimes you don’t want to think certain things because I am a man of faith, believing and trusting God. I have been standing in this line for decade[s]. I hear over and over again, the argument that people should come here legally and follow the law and you will be taken care of. I have done all of that and gotten in line. I have been standing on this line for decades, for almost 20 years. I have been standing on the line. I have been told over and over again,’ to do the right thing, follow the rules, and you will be able to stay.’ I have done that but now the line I was told to stand on is about to be removed. Why? It was because of President Trump’s behavior. It was a wakeup call for not only us, but our congresspeople, it was a wakeup call to say, look, you do this now, or this whole group of people, every state, and all the contributions that we have been making in this country will be gone. So all of those states did know what was coming towards them, so they saw they had to wake up and say look, this is no time to do the same thing that we’ve done all these years. Liberians have been in this country for 35 years, and some people more than that. There was a wakeup call because of questioning attitudes towards people like me. ” ” - P.M.P., Minnesota - L.S., Minnesota

“

“

”

- L.S., Minnesota

These circumstances were not sustainable or just, and the Liberian community and their advocates fought fiercely to address the challenges faced by the community. After hearing about the anti-immigrant, anti-Black, and racist points then-candidate Donald Trump built his campaign and presidency around, many people were ready to act.

Life On Hold: Black Immigrants & the Promise of Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness

15