[REVISION HISTORY]

Death of Haitian student following TPS termination

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-04 17:55 UTC → 2026-09-06 01:12 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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 ~~terminate the program~~ end TPS for ~~approximately 350,000 Haitians.~~ 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.

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