Between September 1998-May 2001, 8 Hmong teenagers died by suicide in 1 urban community. Newspaper accounts attempted to establish the suicides as the outgrowth of problems brought about by the Hmong immigration to the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted with individuals either directly familiar with the events or positioned to provide the best information & overview on the issue. It is concluded the emphasis for the suicides was strongly associated with the Hmong’s status as immigrants in order to convince the Hmong they needed to acculturate, in particular to accept & utilize mental health facilities. The authors illustrate how suicide can be a point of opportunity for those seeking to increase a group’s level of attachment to society. (119 refs.) JA