Thread by @a_moriarty

NEW @FWDus blog - What is Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF)? 5 Things to Know.

Congress has given Liberians in the U.S. an opportunity to apply for green cards, but applications close Dec 20, 2021, and application rates have been low so far.

fwd.us/news/lrif

What is LRIF?

Liberian Refugee International Fairness (LRIF) is a program that provides Liberian nationals who have lived in the US for many years an opportunity to apply for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status, receive a green card, and eventually naturalize as US citizens

2| How do I apply for LRIF? Who is eligible?
USCIS provides full application instructions on its website, and @informed_imm has a guide for applicants.

uscis.gov/green-card/gre…

informedimmigrant.com/guides/residen…

Generally, individuals can apply for LRIF if they are a Liberian national and have been continuously present in the U.S. since at least Nov 20, 2014, and have not committed certain crimes. Spouses and unmarried children of LRIF-eligible Liberian nationals can also apply

.@CMSnewyork estimates ~10,000 Liberians now in the US could, approximately 7,900 of whom are deemed essential workers. CMS also estimates that 100 spouses and 200 children of potential LRIF beneficiaries are potentially eligible.

cmsny.org/the-liberian-r…

Why did Congress create LRIF?

For three decades, many Liberians in the US have been protected from deportation & authorized to work as conditions in Liberia remained unsafe for return. This provided critical humanitarian relief for Liberians and support for a longtime US ally

When President Trump determined that these protections were no longer warranted, Congress passed LRIF to ensure that Liberians who were previously protected, and those who were never able to enroll, would have an opportunity to apply to stay in the U.S.

In 2019, Congress reached a bipartisan consensus to pass LRIF. This achievement came after many years of leadership and advocacy from activists and organizations including @AfricansUS and @UndocuBlack, and leadership in Congress from @SenJackReed @RepCicilline, among others

On passage, @SenJackReed remarked, “After decades of uncertainty, this is a huge win for my Liberian brothers and sisters and a great day for America. ... Everything they have in America they’ve earned through hard work and hard work should be rewarded”

reed.senate.gov/news/releases/…

How many people have applied for LRIF so far?

USCIS reports that it has received 3,398 LRIF-based adjustment of status applications as of April 2021, representing only about one-third of the 10,000 Liberians estimated to be eligible to apply.

crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/…

Even though the deadline has been extended, application counts have remained remarkably low since, with only 37 applications received from Jan-March 2021. The number of applications filed each month will need to increase significantly for all eligible applicants to file in time.

While application rates are low, adjudication rates are even lower. Only 778 applications—23% of the total—have actually been processed, and of those, only 666 have been approved.

What can Congress and the Biden Administration do to help Liberians access LRIF?

DED for Liberians expires June 30, 2022; individuals who do not apply for LRIF and lose their protection under DED will be left without status and in unlawful presence

To that end, the Biden Admin and Members, particularly those representing states & districts with sizable Liberian populations (including MN, NY, PA, RI, and TX) should work with elected officials and nonprofit orgs to provide information, resources, and support to communities

Advocates and community members have urged USCIS to clarify and revise its application requirements. The Biden Admin should quickly review feedback from community experts and consider additional flexibility and reasonable accommodations for applicants.
drive.google.com/file/d/15Mlre1…

For more on LRIF and ways to support the Liberian community in the U.S., follow amazing partners like @UndocuBlack, @cliniclegal, and @InformedImmigrant.

Tremendous thanks to these groups for their leadership, advocacy, and support for this community.

And thank you to @SenJackReed and @RepCicilline for your leadership in getting this program signed into law and extended for an additional year. It shows that meaningful, bipartisan immigration reform is possible.

LRIF is an example of what we should be doing for many more immigrants who have lived for a long time in the United States. Providing them an opportunity to access a legal pathway to status and ultimately earn citizenship is good for our communities and good for America.