US News
Haitian student in Ohio dies by suicide after receiving ICE ankle monitor
Advocates and family point to the severe distress and bullying a 20-year-old college student experienced after losing temporary protected status.
The short version
- Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian college student residing in Springfield, Ohio, died by suicide on Interstate 70.
- Bel's family and local advocates stated his death stemmed from the humiliation, distress, and school bullying he faced after ICE required him to wear an ankle monitor.
- Bel was among an estimated 300,000 Haitian nationals who lost Temporary Protected Status following a Supreme Court ruling.
- ICE stated it does not comment on causes of death while investigations remain pending.
Key facts
- Pierre Damas Bel died on Monday morning after stepping into oncoming traffic on Interstate 70, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.[NBC News]
- Bel arrived in the U.S. in 2024 through the CBP One app and had been placed in an ICE alternatives to detention program requiring an ankle monitor in late July 2026.[NBC News]
- Bel's family reported that he experienced severe distress and bullying at Wright State University due to wearing the monitoring device.[NBC News]
- Bel was one of roughly 300,000 Haitian nationals affected by the termination of Temporary Protected Status following a Supreme Court ruling.[NBC News]
- ICE declined to comment directly on the cause of death, citing an ongoing investigation.[NBC News]
What remains uncertain
- The full findings of the ongoing law enforcement investigation into the circumstances of Bel's death have not been concluded or released.[NBC News]
Sources
- Student who felt ‘humiliated’ by ICE ankle monitor dies by suicideNBC News - Top Stories