SPRINGFIELD, OHIO — Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian national and honor roll student at Springfield High School, died by suicide on Sept. 1, 2026, after stepping into oncoming traffic on Interstate 70 in Springfield, Ohio. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed Bel in an alternatives to detention program with an ankle monitor on July 29, 2026, following the loss of his Temporary Protected Status.

Bel exited a Toyota vehicle before entering the westbound lanes of Interstate 70. He called his father at approximately 8 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2026. "I told him to come home so we can talk," Bel's father said in an emailed statement.

Bel’s father received a police notification at approximately 11 a.m. that his son had died. "Around 11 the police showed at my door to report that my son threw himself under a truck," he said.

Approximately 300,000 Haitian nationals in the U.S. lost Temporary Protected Status at the end of July 2026. More than 350,000 Haitian immigrants lost Temporary Protected Status after a June Supreme Court decision. The Department of Homeland Security issued GPS ankle monitors to track former Temporary Protected Status holders due to a lack of detention space for Haitians who lost Temporary Protected Status. Immigration and Customs Enforcement began alerting Haitians to appear for in-person check-ins in August 2026.

"I came to this country to pursue my education, I didn't come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone," Bel posted on social media on July 30, 2026. "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." Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, stated that Bel was afraid of being deported to Haiti. Jozef stated that Bel called his father saying knowing he could be deported was 'unbearable' and that he had been struggling since being given an ankle monitor.

Viles Dorsainvil, co-founder and executive director of the Haitian Support Center, estimated that 34 people have been detained since Temporary Protected Status ended. Dorsainvil stated that Bel’s death is believed to be the first suicide in Springfield related to immigration enforcement. "I know many folks are depressed right now," Dorsainvil said in an interview. "I never had in my mind that it would have gotten to that point." Carl Ruby, a local pastor and immigration advocate in Springfield, Ohio, stated that Bel’s family wanted people to know the suicide was related to immigration policies.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine criticized the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement impacts on Ohio residents. DeWine called Bel’s suicide a "horrible tragedy" that never should have happened. "I think we have to ask ourselves: Is this really good? Is it what we want done to people like this being picked up and facing deportation? Do we want that being done in our name?" DeWine said at a press conference.

Approximately 12,000 Haitians live in Springfield, Ohio. The Trump administration has sent two deportation flights to Haiti since ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians.

Why It Matters

Bel’s death occurred within a community of approximately 12,000 Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, following a Supreme Court decision that stripped Temporary Protected Status from hundreds of thousands of Haitian nationals. The Department of Homeland Security issued GPS ankle monitors to track former status holders due to a lack of detention space, a policy change that advocates say contributed to Bel’s distress. Viles Dorsainvil stated that Bel’s death is believed to be the first suicide in Springfield related to immigration enforcement, showing the human impact of federal policy shifts on local communities.

Timeline

Pierre Damas Bel was a Haitian national who arrived in the U.S. in 2024. He settled in Springfield, Ohio, with his parents and two brothers. Bel applied for admission to the U.S. using the CBP One app.

In 2025, Bel was recruited to play soccer at Wittenberg University. By May 2025, Bel was an honor roll student at Springfield High School, a member of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), and played varsity soccer at Springfield High School. In May 2026, Bel received a $2,500 scholarship from the Springfield City School District.

What's New

Records show Bel played varsity soccer at Springfield High School and held the rank of lieutenant in JROTC. The Department of Homeland Security issued GPS ankle monitors to track former Temporary Protected Status holders.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the timing of the loss of Temporary Protected Status. The Supreme Court of the United States ruling states Pierre Damas Bel lost Temporary Protected Status in July 2026 following a Supreme Court decision. The Department of Homeland Security statement says more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants lost Temporary Protected Status after a June Supreme Court decision.

Records also vary on Bel’s activities. Springfield High School records state Pierre Damas Bel played varsity soccer at Springfield High School. The Springfield City School District Facebook post notes Pierre Damas Bel received a $2,500 scholarship from the Springfield City School District in May 2026.