A 20-year-old Haitian immigrant living in Springfield, Ohio, died Monday after his family says he stepped into traffic on a busy highway in what they allege was suicide.
His family says Pierre Damas Bel had been struggling emotionally in recent weeks after learning he could face deportation back to Haiti following the end of his Temporary Protected Status.
Bel's family and supporters held a news conference in Springfield on Tuesday, saying the circumstances of his death were too impactful to keep private.
Those who knew Bel say he had been struggling with fear, bullying, and uncertainty over his immigration status in the weeks before his death.
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Carl Ruby, a pastor at Central Christian Church, remembered Bel fondly.
"Pierre was a beautiful young man; smart, kind…loved by everyone who met with him," Ruby said.
Biassu Pierre, a Haitian migrant who has been in the United States since 2023, also spoke about the loss.
"Pierre was a brother. He was a student. He was a family member; now he's dead. His story—I know a lot of Haitians that is in this same situation like him," Pierre said.
Loved ones say Bel had been struggling emotionally in recent weeks after being bullied by peers for having to wear an ankle monitor and after learning he could potentially face deportation back to Haiti. Bel had been living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status — known as TPS — for about 2 years.
TPS allows people from countries experiencing war, political instability, or natural disasters to live and work legally in the U.S. for a limited time. The Supreme Court recently allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending the program for thousands of Haitian migrants.
One advocate described the fear many Haitian migrants feel about being sent back.
"It's not that we don't love Haiti. It's not that we don't want to go home—we physically cannot!" the advocate said.
Another person at the gathering described the dangers awaiting those who are returned.
"A lot of the people that are sent back home. They're sent back to be kidnapped or slaughtered. They're sent back to be in poverty and pain," they said.
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Family members say Bel came to the United States seeking safety and a better future. Loved ones describe him as athletic, hardworking, and community-oriented — a JROTC student and varsity soccer player.
Yola Lamarre, who knew Bel, described the toll his situation took on him.
"It was a grave impact on his mental health, as he shared with me multiple times. But also that his legacy will live on. May we actually live up to our name as a country, exemplify the purpose of the Statue of Liberty," Lamarre said.
Bel's father said in a written statement that his son felt humiliated. He said Pierre called him, saying: "…I'm not feeling okay mentally because of the bullying, and I told him to come home so we can talk…around 11, the Police showed [up] at my door to report that my son threw himself under a truck."
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, allows people from countries facing conflict or natural disasters to live and work legally in the United States for a limited time. The Supreme Court recently ruled the Trump administration's move to end temporary protections for thousands of Haitian immigrants could move forward.
Friends say Bel was very upset and devastated about being required to wear an ankle monitor before his death. His father, in a statement, described his son as feeling as if he was being treated like an "animal."
Family members say Bel came to the United States seeking safety and opportunity. He began classes last week at Wright State University and was a JROTC student and a varsity soccer player.
In a statement on social media, Wright State said:
"Wright State University was saddened to learn that Pierre Damas Bel, a first-time student who began classes last week for the fall semester, died tragically on Monday, August 31.
"We are heartbroken by this devastating loss. Pierre was an active honors student who was passionate about soccer and was already actively engaged in his classes and the campus community. The University mourns the death of Pierre and extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time,” stated Sue Edwards, president of Wright State.
Counseling and support services have been made available to students, faculty and staff who may need assistance coping with this news.
The safety and well-being of our students is the highest priority, and we remain dedicated to providing a campus community where every student feels safe, supported, included and welcomed."
Those gathered in Springfield on Tuesday also called on federal lawmakers to revise the ankle monitoring program. ICE has been using ankle monitors since the early 2000s, but their use has increased in recent months, according to the latest available information from ICE.
ICE's Response
According to the latest information available from ICE, the agency has used ankle monitors since the early 2000s. An ICE spokesperson told our partners at the Journal News the Ohio State Highway Patrol notified the agency Monday about Bel’s death. It declined to comment on the circumstances while OSHP is investigating.
ICE said Bel applied to enter the U.S. March 5, 2024, at the Gateway Port of Entry via a CBP One appointment, “and he was released into the country by the Biden administration," ICE told the Journal News. On July 29 this year, “ICE placed him on alternatives to detention program with an ankle monitor while he continued in his immigration proceedings,” an ICE spokesperson told the Journal News.
ICE has an Alternatives to Detention program to allow immigrants to stay in their community while immigration proceedings are ongoing. The program has multiple subprograms that each use different methods and supervision levels.
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“No one is required to stay in the United States illegally and wear a monitor. Illegal aliens have a lawful, voluntary option: they can self-deport through the CBP Home app. Eligible participants receive a government-arranged flight home, a $2,600 exit bonus after departure is confirmed, and forgiveness of civil failure-to-depart fines,” the spokesperson said. “Remaining in the country illegally, while fighting removal, is a choice. Leaving with a free flight home and $2,600 is also a choice. ICE will continue to use detention or alternatives to detention as needed those illegal aliens who stay in violation of the law.”
Advocates say expanded use in recent months has created fear and anxiety among immigrant communities. Supporters are now calling on federal lawmakers to revisit the government's use of electronic monitoring.
"People die of lots of things. Some people die of cancer. Some people die of accidents. Some people die by suicide. Pierre died as a result of policy," Ruby said.
This story was originally published by Jay Shakur with the Scripps News Group in Cincinnati.
