SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — 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.
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.
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.
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