Brooklyn Park expresses support for Liberian Community
The Liberian community living in the northwest metro once again faces a deadline where they could stay in the U.S. or be deported back to Liberia. The status is called Deferred Enforced Departure or DED. The deadline is at the end of March and the council issued a proclamation urging a pathway to citizenship for Liberians.
A Federal Issue
A representative from the Liberian Consulate addressed the Brooklyn Park City Council, urging council members to contact representatives and urge support for the Liberians living in the city.
There’s little the Brooklyn Park City Council can do regarding DED status since it is a federal issue, but Jackson George, representing the Liberian Consulate Midwest, asked the council to pick up the phone and make a few calls.
“The idea of thinking that tomorrow you could be deported or arrested, the uncertainty is mind boggling,” said George. “My request to the council would be, we do have congressional leaders, we do have senators. Get on the phone and talk to them. Pick up the phone and call them because this this is going to affect the city.”
George could not give an exact number of Liberians on DED status who live within the city. But estimates it’s somewhere between three and four thousand people.
City issues Proclamation of Support
The council issued a proclamation supporting the local Liberian community and urging lawmakers to make a pathway to citizenship for the people who have been in the U.S. for years.
“Both Republicans and Democrats had ample time over the last three decades to fix this,” said Mayor Jeffrey Lunde. “They’ve controlled all the power and yet they haven’t. We need both parties to work together to get this done, for hopefully a permanent solution.”
The Brooklyn Park City Council will talk about the issue once again in a work session on Monday night. They will discuss passing a resolution urging the protection for Liberians on DED status.
Liberians are planning a rally at the state capitol on February 22.
