Trump last year ordered an end to Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status for Liberians, which was first granted to them during the presidency of his fellow Republican George W. Bush and enabled the immigrants to work and protected them from deportation. Advocates estimate that roughly 4,000 Liberians in the United States are protected by DED.
Trump had declared a one-year “wind-down” period, which set the final expiration date of the status as March 31. But on Thursday, Trump said he had changed his mind, winning unusual praise from some immigration advocates who have fought his policies in courts during the two years of his presidency.
“Upon further reflection and review, I have decided that it is in the foreign policy interest of the United States to extend the wind-down period for an additional 12 months, through March 30, 2020,” Trump said in a memorandum to his secretaries of state and homeland security that was released by the White House.
