United States | USCIS extends EAD eligibility for certain Liberians

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that Liberians who are covered by Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) may apply for employment authorization documents (EADs) valid through June 30, 2026.

Key Points:

• USCIS posted a Federal Register notice that establishes procedures for eligible Liberians to apply for EADs.
• The agency also extended the validity of DED-related EADs with an A11 category code and expiration dates of March 30, 2020; Jan. 10, 2021; June 30, 2022; or June 30, 2024. These EADs are now valid through June 30, 2026.

Additional Information: President Joe Biden issued a memorandum on DED for Liberians in 2022 that deferred removal of certain Liberians who have been continuously present in the U.S. since May 20, 2017. In June, he issued a new memorandum extending deferral through June 30, 2026. No application is required for DED, which covers nationals of Liberia or individuals with no nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia based on terms described in the president’s directive.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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