Brooklyn Park Woman to Attend State of the Union
A Brooklyn Park resident will attend Tuesday night’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. Linda Clark will be the guest of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. Clark is facing possible deportation. She fled Liberia 19 years ago due to that country’s civil war.
The Trump administration is ending a program that allows citizens of Liberia living in the U.S. to avoid deportation. That program is known as deferred enforced departure (DED).
“We just want the government to know we are all people, we are human beings. We have feelings,” said Clark. “If you have lived here 19 years like I have lived here, and that rug just be pulled from under your leg like that. Or family that has parents on DED, and if their children were born here, to just send them back and leave the family? Just consider and know that family is important and what we’ve contributed in this country, at least have a thank you by giving us a pathway to citizenship.”
President Donald Trump previously said Liberia is “no longer experiencing armed conflict” and has made “significant progress in restoring stability and democratic governance.”
Brooklyn Park Passes Resolution
Before Clark went to hear the State of the Union, she was at Brooklyn Park City Hall.
The Brooklyn Park City Council passed a resolution showing support for Liberians on deferred enforced departure status. The resolution urges Minnesota’s congressional delegation to pressure Congress to pass immigration reform and urge the president to reinstate DED status before a March 31 deadline.
Brooklyn Park City Council member Mark Mata abstained from the vote. Mata says it shouldn’t be the council’s place to get involved in a federal political issue.
