Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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S. 2161. A bill to provide for the adjustment of status of certain nationals of Liberia to that of lawful permanent residents and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am pleased to reintroduce the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act along with Senators WHITEHOUSE, KLOBUCHAR, WARREN, and FRANKEN.

This bill, which I have introduced every Congress since 1999, seeks to provide a path to citizenship for qualifying Liberian refugees who came here decades ago to escape Liberia's civil wars. Since this time, they have been in our country legally through short term extensions of Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure. After years of uncertainty about whether they will be able to stay in their communities or whether their families will be split up, this bill give eligible Liberians the chance to apply for legal permanent residency, and begin the process of finally becoming citizens.

Similar safeguards were included in the last Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill that the Senate passed, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide this critical and long overdue support for our Liberian community.

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