TEMPO.CO, Washington - The Department of Homeland Security will grant temporary protected status to people arriving from Ebola-affected countries. The status provides temporary residence permit and protection from deportation.
"People from Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in the United States, as of Thursday, may apply for protection from deportation, as well as for work permits, for 18 months," said a Department of Homeland Security official as reported by Reuters on Thursday, November 20, 2014.
After 18 months, the protection could be extended depending on the level of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. In order to prevent a mass migration from West Africa to the US, national from these countries who arrive after Thursday will not be granted protected status.
Before gaining the protected status, ebola-suspected individuals must undertake series of tests, including family background and travel history in the US. Those who have criminal records are ineligible.
There are at least 8,000 people that are eligible to apply for protected status.
The move is in response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which has claimed more than 5,000 lives. So far, there have been two Americans died from Ebola and both were medical workers in Ebola-affected countries.
REUTERS | RINDU P. HESTYA
