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Who was Pierre Damas Bel? 5 things to know as Haitian immigrant dies in US amid deportation fears; family claims suicide
Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian immigrant, tragically died after entering traffic in Springfield, Ohio.
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A 20-year-old Haitian immigrant tragically passed away after stepping into traffic on Interstate 70 in Springfield, Ohio. This comes as he lost his temporary "protected status" and was placed under an electronic monitoring program by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Who was Pierre Damas Bel?
- In response to this incident on Monday, Pierre Damas Bel's family alleged that he died “by suicide,” citing his growing distress over the ankle monitor and the looming threat of deportation, Press TV reported.
- Bel had parked his vehicle on the shoulder of westbound I-70, exited the car, and walked into oncoming traffic, as reported by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
- He was subsequently struck by a tractor-trailer and was pronounced dead at the scene. The westbound lanes were closed for approximately three hours.
- Bel was one of approximately 350,000 Haitian immigrants who had recently lost their temporary protected status.
- He had an asylum claim pending and had been called to an ICE office following the Supreme Court's decision that permitted the Trump administration to move forward with terminating the protection for Haitian recipients.
Pierre Damas Bel's father makes shocking claims
Federal immigration officials subsequently affixed an electronic monitoring device to his ankle.
His father, Pierres Ronal Bel, expressed that his son felt degraded by the device. “He felt like he was treated like an animal,” his father remarked, as per Press TV.
Bel had come to the United States in 2024 to be reunited with his parents. He aspired to pursue a career in medicine, graduated from high school with distinction, and was an active member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. His family characterized him as intelligent and responsible.
His father noted that the ankle monitor hindered Bel from participating in soccer and that he faced bullying from his peers. Bel had also requested the immigration officers to remove the device, but they declined.
Pierre Damas Bel's Instagram post in focus
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” Bel wrote in an Instagram post. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
On Monday morning, Bel contacted his father, stating, as the father recounted, “‘I’m not feeling okay.’” “I told him to come so that we can talk,” the father said.
ICE's increasing arrest
The death of Bel has heightened anxiety within Springfield's Haitian community, in light of the increased activity by ICE following the revocation of Haiti's 'protected status.' Community leaders report that residents are experiencing significant stress due to fears of detention and deportation.
