CFA Mourns the Loss of Pierre Damas Bel  

CFA members are heartbroken by the death of Pierre Damas Bel, an Ohio college student and Haitian immigrant. According to news reports, Bel died in an apparent suicide after ICE forced him to wear an ankle monitor that led him to experience depression and bullying.  

This tragedy was preventable. ICE should not shackle immigrants as if they are criminals or slaves. The Trump Administration should not have ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and immigrants from other countries.  

Bel posted on social media that he came to this country to study, build his future, and live a better life. There are thousands of Bels attending college, including at CSU campuses, in the United States.  

CFA members will continue pushing to protect immigrant students in every avenue possible, including working with lawmakers and candidates who share our vision for a nation where Bel could have thrived. 

Margarita Berta-Ávila, CFA President