The clock is ticking for thousands of Liberian immigrants as the month of March draws to a close. I recently read a story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune concerning the temporary immigration status of more than 3,600 Liberians nationwide that is set to expire at the end of March. Unless an extension is granted by President Obama, these immigrants will face deportation. To postpone the deadline for at least another 18 months would provide Congress with time to consider a permanent solution – legislation providing a path to citizenship.

Liberians were granted temporary status after fleeing the civil war that erupted in their homeland. The conflict lasted well over a decade, and conditions in Liberia remain unstable. Liberia’s fragile infrastructure is not yet ready to absorb thousands of deportees, as it is plagued with housing, electrical and water shortages, as well as high unemployment and crime rates.

As a Minnesotan, this issue is extremely relevant. Minnesota has one of the largest Liberian populations in the nation, and over 1,000 Liberians in my state would be deported if nothing is done. Forcibly uprooting hardworking members of my community will have a devastating impact on these families who have made the United States their home. The sudden loss will negatively impact various sectors, as many are taxpaying home and business owners, students, health care professionals, and members of local congregations. Deportations will further deplete communities ransacked by the current economic crisis.

With Liberia’s current conditions in mind, many parents would face the agonizing choice of whether to leave their children behind in the United States or bring them to Liberia. Families will be ripped apart, and children left with friends or relatives who may not be in a position to provide care. It is unjust to force a parent to have to choose either physical safety or family unification.

Father James Wilson, a Liberian and priest at St. Philip and St. Thomas Episcopal Churches in Saint Paul, asserts, “Liberians go through this immigration nightmare, which I find very disturbing on the basis of biblical social justice ethics that call for welcoming strangers, treating them justly as you too were once strangers or aliens (Exodus 23:9).”

Liberians in our communities have ceased to become strangers; they have lived and worked alongside of us for nearly two decades.

It is imperative to respect the human dignity of these individuals and acknowledge and honor the numerous contributions they have made to our communities and our country.

Action to extend the March 31st deadline is needed now, but this situation underlines the need for long-term comprehensive immigration reform. It is unjust for a nation to allow people to settle and build their lives in the United States for nearly two decades yet withhold the opportunity to become citizens. An extension of the deadline by an administrative order would give Congress time to consider legislation which could provide a path to citizenship. Please join me in calling the White House and urging President Obama to extend the deadline of deportation for Liberians beyond March 31, 2009.

Bailey Craft is a volunteer program assistant at the Minnesota Literacy Council which provides literacy services to immigrants and refugees.