< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [INTERNATIONAL]

2 clusters · 41 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

Death of Haitian student following TPS termination

Overview

Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian honors student at Wright State University, died in Springfield, Ohio, after walking into westbound traffic on Interstate 70. While the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported he exited his vehicle and was struck by a tractor-trailer, his family and advocates believe the incident was a suicide.

Bel’s death followed the loss of his Temporary Protected Status (TPS), resulting from a Supreme Court decision that ruled Department of Homeland Security decisions to end TPS for Haiti and Syria are not subject to judicial review. Following this loss, Bel was fitted with a GPS ankle monitor by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His father alleged that the device was a primary factor in his son’s distress, noting that Bel had requested its removal multiple times to participate in JROTC activities and college soccer. The monitor also reportedly contributed to Bel losing his roster spot at Wittenberg University.

Local religious leaders, including Pastor Carl Ruby of Central Christian Church, have linked the tragedy to U.S. immigration policy and the termination of the Haiti TPS designation. In response to the death, a GoFundMe campaign launched by Barbara Fidler has raised over $9,000 to assist the family with counseling and funeral expenses.

Entities

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement · Wright State University · Pierre Damas Bel · Springfield, Ohio · Springfield G92

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

  • "The ICE ankle monitor was a primary factor in the death of 20-year-old Pierre Damas Bel." jamaicainquirer.com · dominicanrepublicpost.com · trinidadtribune.com · www.ibtimes.co.uk

    vs

    "Pierre Damas Bel died after walking into oncoming traffic on Interstate 70 and being struck by a tractor-trailer." www.ibtimes.co.uk

    The first claim asserts the ankle monitor was the primary factor in the death, while the second claims the death was caused by being struck by a tractor-trailer after walking into traffic.

Timeline

  1. 8 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Pierre Damas Bel dies in Ohio following loss of TPS status

    Haitian student Pierre Damas Bel died in Ohio following an apparent suicide. His family attributes the tragedy to bullying and the psychological impact of an ICE ankle monitor after the loss of TPS status.

  2. 11 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 35 sources
    Pierre Damas Bel dies in Ohio after losing TPS status

    Haitian honors student Pierre Damas Bel died by apparent suicide in Ohio after losing Temporary Protected Status and being required to wear an ICE ankle monitor, which his family says caused him deep shame.

Sources

92q.com · abc11.com · abc13.com · abc30.com · abc7news.com · abc7ny.com · barbadosgazette.com · breitbart.com · capitalbnews.org · cbs58.com · classixphilly.com · commondreams.org · drudge.com · elperiodicodeportivo.com.co · extranoticias.cl · foxnews.com · hot1009.com · ibtimes.co.uk · independent.co.uk · jamaicainquirer.com · msnbc.com · nago.tv · nbcnews.com · neubrandenburg.de · newrepublic.com · newsone.com · pulptastic.com · rezonodwes.com · rickeysmileymorningshow.com · siamevent.com · stluciatimes.com · theboxhouston.com · themorninghustle.com · theroot.com · tide1009.com · trinidadtribune.com · tvone.tv · vantbefinfo.com · wiznation.com · woldcnews.com · wsvn.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history