PHOTO: Rev. Torli Krua of the Universal Human Rights International
PRESS STATEMENT
Boston, Massachusetts-The Universal Human Rights International (UHRI) wishes to address the immediate and long term threats to the life of thousands of unemployed Liberian Refugees languishing across America in the past decades, said a press statement from the Universal Human Rights International (UHRL) on Tuesday, April 28, 2020.
Thanks to Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island and his colleagues and President Trump for signing into law the Liberian Refugee fairness Act, potentially ending decades of unnecessary suffering and making Liberians eligible for work permits and green cards.
Even so, there still exists existential threats to the life and safety of thousands of unemployed Liberian refugees who cannot benefit from any of the current Covid-19 relief offered by the US Government.
Urgent Emergency Relief For Unemployed Liberian Refugees
UHRI is offering emergency food assistance (Bags of Rice) to all eligible beneficiaries of the Liberian Refugee fairness Act and their family members in Liberia.
Long Term Relief for Unemployed Liberian Refugees
We ask all persons of good will to join our call to Congress and President Trump for a blanket waiver of all filing fees in thousands of dollars charged by the US Immigration Service to unemployed beneficiaries of the “Liberian Refugee Fairness Act.”
Justifications For Our Emergency Plea
There are five compelling reasons why a waiver of fees is an urgent necessity:
- Firstly, an act of compassion in waiver of fees is in the interest of many young Americans whose mothers cannot afford thousands of dollars in fees. Mr. President, your call to duty and first promise of your presidency was to put the interest of Americans first, especially the young and vulnerable.
- Secondly, America has a tradition of extending compassion to refugees. Under section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of the United States of America, individuals admitted to the United States as refugees are exempt from paying filing fees for adjustment of status. For decades, this kind act applied to Somalis, Vietnamese, Syrians. Doubtless, this tradition of compassion will be welcomed by beneficiaries of the Liberian Fairness Act.
- Thirdly, although some Liberians were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), most of the beneficiaries of the Liberian Fairness Act were excluded and denied work permits and access to humanitarian assistance since October 1, 2002. These include Liberian Mothers airlifted to safety by US Marines during Operation Shining Express ordered by your Republican Predecessor President George Bush on June 12, 2003. Later, under two terms of President Obama, these Liberian Refugee Mothers and their African American Children suffer needlessly without permits to work. We believe requiring this vulnerable population of refugees denied work permits for decades to pay thousands of dollars in fees during the global Coronavirus Pandemic and its damaging economic impact will only defeat the purpose of the Liberian Fairness Act. Many jobless refugees will not meet the deadline for filing.
- Fourthly, the CoronaVirus is negatively impacting the global economy and vulnerable Americans. As a result, Congress is contemplating a stimulus of direct payment of trillion dollars to Americans and states are freeing prisoners. Meanwhile, the invisible enemy, Coronavirus is destroying lives without regards for the immigration status of the lives it claims globally. Because of the looming deadline of December 19, 2020 and the encroaching Coronavirus, time is not on our side and compassion is an urgent necessity!
- Finally, when Liberians fled the violence of the civil war, some went to Denmark, Finland, Germany, Canada and Australia. There countries with absolutely no ties to Liberia welcomed Liberian Refugees and immediately provided humanitarian assistance and citizenship. In addition to trauma and new challenges of new climatic conditions, cultures and languages compassion from the hosts made the conditions bearable. On the other hand, the American experience for Liberian Refugees has been unbearable.
Plea For Compassion: Blanket Waiver Of All Immigration Fees For Liberian Refugee Beneficiaries
US$10,000.00 Earmarked For Covid-19 Relief For Unemployed Liberian Refugees In America & Family Members in Liberia
Contact: Pastor Torli H. Krua- Tel: 617-297-7551