The Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Jefferson T. Koijee, has made a humble plea to the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, to reconsider his decision of deporting Liberians at this time when the country is under President Boakai’s stewardship, as doing so now would equate to sending them to their deaths.
Koijee urged President Trump to reconsider the deportation of 1,563 Liberians currently residing in the United States—many of whom fled political persecution and violence and have contributed immensely to both the U.S. economy and Liberia’s development through remittances. According to him, deporting them under President Boakai’s regime, which he claimed is marked by widespread rape, murder and economic collapse, would endanger their lives and devastate their families.
“Your previous policies demonstrated a commitment to protecting Liberians, including your 2018 extension of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and the 2019 enactment of the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness (LRIF) provision. A similar act of compassion today would strengthen U.S.-Liberia relations and safeguard thousands of vulnerable individuals,” Koijee observed.
Koijee’s plea was contained in a letter addressed to President Trump, dated February 26, 2025, in which he accused President Boakai of consistently violating Liberian laws, undermining democratic accountability and the very foundations on which the nation’s democracy was built.
He further accused President Boakai of orchestrating a legislative coup d’état by using state resources to remove a legally elected Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, in an effort to consolidate control over the Legislature and interfere with fiscal policy. Additionally, he accused Boakai and his administration of operating a treasonable budget—one that was not signed by the duly elected Speaker—thereby eliminating the necessary checks and balances in governance.
He claimed that under President Boakai human rights violations have reached an unprecedented level, with over one hundred reported deaths in just one year. “These deaths stem from state-sponsored persecution, sodomy, gang rape, police brutality, and ritualistic killings. Despite these grave atrocities, the President has failed to reconcile our nation, exacerbating Liberia’s deep wounds and hindering collective national development and peace,” he alleged.
He informed the US President that President Boakai has allegedly engaged in political harassment against institutions and individuals who express dissent. He recounted that, on August 5 and 22, 2024, police violently invaded the headquarters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), attacking peaceful citizens and causing over US$50,000 in property damage. “Furthermore, President Boakai instructed the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia to deploy soldiers at the airport to prevent former President George Weah from accessing the VIP Lounge upon his arrival. This act of state-sanctioned intimidation nearly resulted in an assassination attempt on former President Weah on June 6, 2024. Additionally, Liberians who welcomed Weah on this day were brutally assaulted.
“The President has also influenced the arbitrary dismissal of numerous employees at the Monrovia City Government for simply expressing their grievances on social media—a clear violation of their constitutional rights,” he further alleged.
He explained that when President Boakai assumed office, he pledged to fight corruption and uphold good governance; however, his administration has become a hub of financial misconduct, and some notable cases include US$2.3 million in unaccounted miscellaneous expenses, US$15 million in off-budget expenditures, US$100,000 transferred onto the President’s personal debit card for unauthorized transactions, US$374,239.24 paid to former Central Bank Governor Aloysius Tarlue to coerce his resignation, and US$75,000 allocated for a US$45,000 vehicle for the National Oil Company of Liberia’s CEO, Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis, inflating costs through fraud.
“Despite these glaring cases of corruption, millions of Liberians lack access to clean drinking water, electricity, employment, and healthcare. Given this level of mismanagement, Liberia is unprepared to handle direct foreign aid under President Boakai. A full-scale investigation into previous USAID grants to Liberia is necessary—particularly the $1.5 million allocated for voter confidence,” Koijee’s letter pointed out.
The former Mayor of Monrovia and Secretary General of CDC then implored President Trump to stand with the Liberian people in the fight against corruption, human rights violations, and democratic erosion.
He said Liberia has always shared a deep historical bond with the United States. “Our capital city, Monrovia, is named after President James Monroe, and our largest hospital honors President John F. Kennedy. Today, we look to you as a leader who can help guide Liberia through its current crisis,” he maintained, and emphasized that President Trump’s leadership is critical in protecting Liberians at home and abroad, ensuring accountability in U.S. foreign aid, and defending the values that define both nations.
See letter below:
