Haitian college student in Ohio dies by apparent suicide after losing TPS status, family says

A Haitian-born college student in Ohio died in what his family believes to be a suicide after he was stripped of his temporary protected status.

Haitian college student in Ohio dies by apparent suicide after losing TPS status, family says

TL;DR

  • Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian-born college student in Ohio, died on Monday after walking into oncoming traffic.
  • His family believes his death was a suicide, directly linked to the loss of his Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections after the Trump administration ended Haiti's designation.
  • Bel was reportedly distraught and wearing an ankle monitor, which he felt led to shame and humiliation, impacting his college activities.
  • His father and a local pastor explicitly blamed President Trump's immigration policies and specific administration officials for Bel's death.