Haitian Immigrant Dies After Entering Interstate Traffic Amid Deportation Fears

A 20-year-old Haitian immigrant, Pierre Damas Bel, died after entering traffic on Interstate 70 in Springfield, Ohio, shortly after losing his temporary protected status and being placed under an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) electronic monitoring program. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Bel parked his vehicle on the shoulder of westbound I-70, left the car and walked into traffic before being struck by a tractor-trailer. He was pronounced dead at the scene, while the westbound lanes remained closed for around three hours. His family said they believed he had died by suicide, citing his growing distress over the ankle monitor and the possibility of deportation.

Bel was among an estimated 350,000 Haitians who had recently lost temporary protected status. He had a pending asylum claim and had been summoned to an ICE office after the US Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with ending protections for Haitian recipients. Federal immigration authorities subsequently placed an electronic monitoring device on his ankle. His father, Pierres Ronal Bel, said his son felt humiliated by the device and believed he was being “treated like an animal.” The family said the monitor also prevented him from playing soccer and that he faced bullying from classmates. Bel had reportedly asked immigration officials to remove the device, but his request was denied.

Bel arrived in the United States in 2024 to reunite with his parents and had hoped to study medicine. He had graduated from high school with honors and participated in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. In an Instagram post in late July, he expressed his distress over being monitored despite saying he had come to the country to pursue his education rather than commit a crime. On Monday morning, Bel called his father and told him he was not feeling well. His father urged him to come over so they could talk, but Bel later died after entering the interstate roadway.