by Alexandra Martinez This article was originally published at Prism The Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) program is set to expire Dec. 20, leaving thousands of eligible Liberian nationals at risk of deportation by next summer when current Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) protections will also end. LRIF, which was passed in 2019 as part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, provided permanent residency and deportation protection to Liberians in the U.S. who left Liberia during the civil wars in the 1990s and early 2000s. Advocates say many eligible applicants have not been able to apply due to cost-prohibitive and bureaucratic roadblocks inherent in the program and exacerbated by the pandemic. For many Liberian nationals, the sudden expiration date reflects an arbitrary decision since the population of eligible applicants is static and time-specific. If the deadline is not extended and former refugees are left to rely on DED’s temporary protection, Liberians who have spent 30 years fostering communities and families in the U.S. will be forced back to a country they may not even recognize. Read more