After being on the list of countries whose nationals are eligible for Temporary Protected Status for several years, Liberia is about to be removed. When TPS status expires on September 28 th of this year, the Justice Department will not be extending the status for Liberians. TPS status allows person who are from designated countries to legally remain in the US until extraordinary conditions in a particular country have subsided.
Extraordinary conditions can include such calamities as wars and environmental disasters.
Attorney General Reno chose not to renew the status based on a State Department report that found that the civil war in Liberia is now over and the peace accords have held. For people who still do not feel safe returning, the INS recommends people consider applying for asylum or withholding of deportation. People affected by this decision will revert back to the visa status they had immediately before being granted TPS status. If the unlawful status extends past 180 days, the person could face a reentry bar.