More than 200 mourners gathered at a Springfield, Ohio church on Saturday to remember 20-year-old Pierre Damas Bel, a Haitian college student who died by suicide in August after receiving an ICE ankle monitor. The service drew high-profile attendance as national immigration tensions flared nearby.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church Memorial Draws Mourners and Governor
Family, friends, and community members filled St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday for the funeral service of Pierre Damas Bel (holding services at the Springfield church on October 3, 2026). Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine attended the service, meeting privately with the grieving family before the ceremony (according to reporting from Cleveland.com). Springfield Mayor Rob Rue was also present to pay his respects. Representative Latyna Humphrey spoke during the services, telling attendees that Bel was dedicated, hardworking, and willing to fight for the American dream. Nadia Jean Jacques urged the community not to let the family walk through their grief alone. Pastor Carl Ruby read aloud from Bel’s obituary, highlighting how the student consistently assisted others with classwork and maintained close family ties. Memorial displays at the church featured boards acknowledging Bel’s love for education, science, and his desire to become a doctor. Young women walked down the church aisles carrying flowers, while others laid flowers directly upon his casket. Because Governor DeWine also lost a daughter, Rebecca “Becky” DeWine, in a 1993 car crash, he shared private condolences touching on that shared experience of profound familial loss.
Bel, a 20-year-old immigrant from Haiti, had built a strong academic and extracurricular profile after entering the United States in 2024 via a CBP One appointment at the Gateway Port of Entry, where he was released by the Biden administration. His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, and stepmother were unable to attend the service in person, but their written reflections were read aloud. His father reflected on living with the illusion that his firstborn son would return, while his stepmother shared how Bel constantly looked after her, regularly calling during her work breaks to make sure she was okay and filing work applications on her behalf. His younger brothers, Bradley and Lucas, were also remembered during the services, with Bradley expressing deep sorrow that his brother is gone.
End of TPS Protections Impacts Thousands of Haitians
Bel and his family initially lived and worked in the United States legally under Temporary Protected Status, a federal program established after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration could move forward with ending TPS for Haitians and Syrians while legal challenges continued, Haiti’s TPS protections officially ended on July 27, impacting roughly 340,000 Haitians nationwide according to the Center for Migration Studies. When the Trump administration terminated the program for Haitians, Bel was set to start at Wright State University when he was fitted with an ankle monitor. Shortly after, Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed him on an alternatives-to-detention program requiring him to wear a GPS ankle monitor.
Friends, coworkers, and family members stated that Bel suffered severe distress, shame, and bullying due to the monitoring device (sharing social media posts where Bel expressed humiliation). In July, Bel posted on social media and told friends about feeling upset and depressed over wearing the device on his leg while walking through the streets. His coworker Neisha Davis and close friend Yola Lamarre remembered him as a beautiful soul who wanted to contribute positively to the country.
I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone.
Pierre Damas Bel, via social media and friends
An ICE spokesperson noted that the Ohio State Highway Patrol notified the agency on August 31 regarding his death, and that circumstances remain under investigation by OSHP while the agency does not comment on pending causes of death. ICE emphasized that no one is required to stay in the United States illegally, noting that individuals have a voluntary option to self-deport through the CBP Home app, and confirmed that detention or alternatives to detention will continue to be used as needed for those remaining in violation of the law.
Advocacy, Fundraisers, and Political Backdrop in Ohio
Bel’s death has galvanized immigrant support networks across the country, prompting vigils across Ohio and in Brooklyn, along with a floor speech from Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley blaming the administration’s policies and calling on the Senate to extend TPS for Haitians. An unofficial spotlight hearing
on TPS was hosted at the U.S. Capitol by Senator Chris Van Hollen alongside several Democratic senators, featuring testimony from Springfield pastor Carl Ruby, who ministered to Bel’s parents on the day of his death and pleaded with lawmakers to support humane immigration policies.
Activists and local leaders point to tangible shifts following the tragedy. Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Support Center, reported a deceleration in ICE’s use of ankle monitors, with federal authorities increasingly equipping former TPS recipients with a cell phone application that tracks individuals via weekly photos. However, Dorsainvil also noted ongoing challenges, including a pattern of sudden court date changes and short-notice hearings that leave individuals scrambling for attorneys and heighten removal risks.
During his remarks, Trump touted his deportation policies and described Springfield as having once been an idyllic place before thousands of people were brought into the town of roughly 32,000 residents, adding that it would soon be that way again when individuals are sent back home. Local officials estimated that Springfield, a city of about 60,000 residents, had roughly 10,000 to 15,000 Haitian immigrants prior to the termination of TPS and recent crackdowns. Governor DeWine, who has openly opposed the revocation of TPS for Haitians and called current mass deportation plans misguided, declined to attend the political rally (choosing instead to mourn alongside the Bel family in Springfield).
Following the memorial service, a gathering was also organized by friends and advocates outside Columbus City Hall to remember Bel and call for systemic change.
