David French: MAGA Is Making America Less Free

The Trump administration's crackdown on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, has led to the arrest of over 380 Haitians**, and several have taken their own lives due to the trauma caused by the ankle monitors and deportation proceedings.

In July, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was revoked for approximately 340,000 Haitians in the US, leaving them vulnerable to deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began targeting Haitian immigrants, including those who had previously been protected from deportation.

The story of Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian immigrant who died by suicide after losing his TPS status, highlights the devastating impact of the Trump administration's policies. Before his death, Bel was fitted with an electronic ankle monitor, which he said made him feel like "an animal" and interfered with his daily life.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the arrests during a roundtable event in Cincinnati, Ohio, stating that those who remain in the US are considered illegally present. The Trump administration's actions have been criticized by some politicians, including Ohio's Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who called Bel's death a "horrible tragedy" and stated that ending TPS for Haitian residents was "misguided and wrong".

In a separate development, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot deport legal immigrants for protected speech.