Many Liberians may be ousted from U.S.

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Many of the estimated 4,000 to 10,000 Liberians living in the United States on temporary protected status may be forced to return home as early as Oct. 1.

Thousands of Liberians who could not qualify for refugee status or permanent green cards in the United States were granted six to 18 month stays in the country under a program designed to offer temporary sanctuary to foreign citizens fleeing wars or natural disasters. However, the long-running Liberian civil war, which claimed 250,000 lives, ended in 2003, and now the U.S. government is moving to force some of the Liberians who were granted numerous renewals for their temporary sanctuary to return home, the Indianapolis Star reported Tuesday.

Some Liberians in danger of being sent home say that while the war has ended, the country remains a perilous place -- the average life expectancy in Liberia is only 39 years. Additionally, the unemployment rate in Liberia is 85 percent and 80 percent of the country's people live in poverty.

"People can't go back," said Trocon Karmo, president of the Liberian Association in Indiana. "The country's not ready to accept them. There are no jobs available right now. There are no social services."