Emmanuel S. Wettee, National President of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) addresses the ULAA National Immigration Workshop, Saturday, March 31, 2007 Trenton, New Jersey
Observing all protocols
In the early 1970’s the issues of the government of Liberia respecting the fundamental rights of Liberians and allowing the people to participate in free and fairs elections caught the attention of Liberians in the United States of America. After series of deliberations came the creation of The Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) out of what was before then the Liberian Students Association. Since then a lot has changed. ULAA has continued to play the umbrella role in championing the causes of Liberia to this date. In partnership with other organizations this UNION’s signature is attached to Ghana Peace Accord that ended the fourteen year war in Liberia and ushered in the democratic atmosphere that allowed Liberia to elect the African continent’s first female president, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Today, this UNION is faced with new challenges. Of the many narrative and descriptive issues facing our people, we are here today to address the Immigration Challenge. Within 200 days several thousands of Liberians on Temporary Protective Status (TPS) are expected to be deported to Liberia. At this point in our history we must partner with each other and chain our resources to protect the expected thousands of Liberians to be deported.
Remember, some of the several thousands of Liberians to be deported have relatives, family members and friends in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc, where they are risking their lives for the security of the United States of America. There are also thousands who are contributing in their respective local communities in support of socio-economic improvement. Many remain very active in the lives of the various U.S. urban centers and states by way of working, owning properties, and volunteering their services. A huge number of the children of those targeted for deportation are not only legal U.S. citizens but are deeply entrenched in the educational institutions and other activities. Uprooting these families will be a disaster of unimaginable proportions. Thus, there is the absolute need for us to partner together and chain our resources to help our people. Jus as those before us fought for a democratic Liberia, the challenge is ours today to avoid the deportation of our people.
May I request of you, my fellow Liberians, a moment of standing ovation to show our deepest thanks and appreciations to Senator Jack Reed of the State of Rhode Island for re-introducing Senate Bill 656 (S656). According to Honorable Michael Wreh, Chairman on ULAA Immigration Committee, Congressman Patrick Kennedy will soon be introducing the House version of the same bill. It is expected to be called HR1930.
Senator Reed and Congressman Kennedy have asked us Liberians to partner with each other and chain our resources to have our respective lawmakers in Washington DC sign unto the bills. The passage of the bills requires the absolute involvement of all Liberians, irrespective of our social and economic background and friends of Liberia.
Today, the leadership of ULAA salutes President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for her effort in making appeals to the Government of United States on this issue of the sudden and unplanned deportation of Liberians on TPS. And having an exclusively, meeting with the Union’s leadership to express her fullest support for this effort. To here we say thanks, Madam President and BRAVO for your March 15, 2006 speech to the joint session of the US Congress.
The challenge of ensuring the passage of the two bills can be termed as one of the greatest, if not the GREATEST, foreign policy challenge of our generation that stands right before us. Our people are threatened with deportation come October 2, 2007. If any single Liberian is deported simply because we failed to act as a people and community, it means we have failed ourselves in addressing the key challenge of our time.
I must remind you that organizations that succeed in the 21st century are those that engage in networking and collaboration. No longer can the Liberian community be an isolated community. We must find ways to attend the functions of other groups and participate in the American political process since in fact we are already here and wearing military uniforms to protect the security and values of the United State of America and the economic growth of the United States of America.
We have to get involved in school board elections, get in involve in local city and state politics, example city councils , volunteer or services to local organizations, and a host of other activities that will make it easier for us to get our messages across to the policy making corridors of the United States of America.
Example, as a direct result of the involvement of Liberians in the state of Rhode Island political process, the ULAA chapter in Rhode Island has a direct access to their law makers in Washington DC and within the state. Please note that their direct access is available, irrespective of any change in the chapter leadership or state leadership. We must have more of the Rhode Island chapter in the UNION to influence decision making in Washington DC and within our respective states. We are here and must be part of the process that influences our destination.
As leaders in our community, our task is to ensure that the BEST strategy in preventing the deportation of our people is utilized. Let me admit that we do recognize that the ultimate decision to avoid the deportation of our people squarely rests with the US Congress and/or the President of the United States. However, we can have U.S. authorities to remember that it was Liberia’s air, land, and sea that the United Stats of America had to use to win World War I and II.
It was Liberia that provided the needed resources for the Voice of America (VOA) to stand on to penetrate and influence the African decision making process during the Cold War.
It was us as a people that provided help for the United States of America to win the Cold War in Africa
Yes, it was Liberian land on which the then strategic Firestone Rubber Plantation was built to support the security and economic growth of the United States of America
By all accounts, we as a people represent the interest and values of United States of America in Africa and around the world. And I believe we can expect the United States of America to look upon the Liberian people with some favor.
We can make a difference if we execute the following strategy:
1. Write our law makers in Washington DC to support the bills
2. Ask our friends at work and school to write their law makers in Washington DC to support the bills
3. Call the offices of our lawmakers in our respective state and Washington DC to support the bills
4. Ask Liberian Churches in America to ask their congregations and to join the effort
5. Get our Liberians celebrities (those playing in the National Football League, NFL) to speak out and also write lawmakers in Washington DC to support the bills
6. Have Liberians to tell their stories using local and national news outlets, examples, newspapers and television.
7. Have Liberian professionals (Professors, Doctors, Nurses, Business Executives) to join the effort.
8. Network with other organizations with immigration interest to help rally support for the bill
9. Ask every Liberian own news organ, chat room, news group to discuss the bill and ask for support
10. And more importantly, have all key Liberian immigration advocacy groups act in concert with ULAA to put forth a strong common re-enforced front in this struggle. Some of these Liberian immigration advocacy groupings include:
Universal Human Rights International (UHRI) of Boston, Massachusetts;
Coalition of Concerned Liberians (CCL) of Silver Spring, Maryland;
Liberian Human Rights and Refugee Welfare Organization (LIHRRWO) of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota;
African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the Africa Initiative /Project Voice Program Director (American Friends Service Committee) of Dayton, Ohio.
My fellow Liberians and Friends, this task is no doubt a difficult one but it would be a mistake for anyone to think that difficulty is indicative of impossibility.
The situation of the Liberians is not a new issue for migrant groups in this country. In the past, Congress has allowed migrants who had been in the U.S. for a prolonged period because of terrible conditions in their native country to adjust to permanent residency status.
~ In 1988, Congress passed a law allowing four national groups who had been allowed to stay in the U.S. at the discretion of the Attorney General to adjust to permanent residency status:
1. 4,996 Poles who had been here for four years,
2. 387 Ugandans who had been here for ten years,
3. 565 Afghanis who had been here for eight years, and
4. 1,180 Ethiopians who had been here for eleven years.
~ The 102nd Congress passed a law, which allowed Chinese nationals who had been granted DED after the Tiananmen Square incident to adjust to permanent residency. Over six years ago, 52,968 Chinese changed their status.
~ The 105th Congress passed legislation known as NACARA. Under this law, 150,000 Nicaraguans, 5,000 Cubans, 200,000 El Salvadorans and 50,000 Guatemalans who have been living in the U.S. since the 1980s are eligible to adjust to permanent residency status.
~ In 1999, Congress passed a bill, which allowed up to 2,000 Syrian Jews who have lived in the U.S. for eight years to obtain permanent residency.
~ S. 656 would not set a precedent. It simply follows a precedent set over a decade ago. This bill correct the harsh and unanticipated consequences U.S. immigration law is having on the Liberians living legally in this country.
But if we are to truly succeed, we must avoid pitfalls that usually fall in the way of noble efforts such as this one. We must avoid what has become in the Liberian parlance as the “CRAB MENTALITY.” If we allow such a mentality to continue to prevail, all we will succeed in doing is pulling each other down. In this scenario, one ULAA chapter or Liberian group working along to make it to the top, each will be under the illusion that pulling down the other is the only way their chapter or group gets to the top. We will all therefore find ourselves in a brutal cycle of failure. Let us avoid this doomed approach and be a team player. As partner our people can win! I appeal to all Liberians with all the force left in my breath, LET US DO THIS TOGETHER AND SAVE OUR PEOPLE.
Our people need us more than ever before. We must partner together and chain our resources to help our people. Our leadership is today submitting to the National Leadership Council the need to declare the month of April, Liberian Immigration Advocacy Month. Events and activities will be discussed at the Leadership Council Meeting.
As I leave this stage, let me state that the task is enormous and critical but I am hopeful that if we do the right thing--and I mean all of us together--we will spare our country the looming danger of mass deportation and win the trust, confidence and admiration of our people.
Let me also remind you that the leadership before us participated in the process that elected Africa’s first female president. We must participate in the process that will avoid the deportation of people from the US.
In Union Strong, Success is sure!
May God bless America - May God Bless Liberia - May God Bless ULAA
Thank you.
