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Haitian college student dies after being shamed for wearing ICE ankle monitor

Sep 9, 2026·Location: Springfield, OH

Country of origin: Haiti

ICE has intensified enforcement against Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, after stripping many of their Temporary Protected Status, forcing them to wear ankle monitors after check-ins. Twenty-year-old Pierre Damas Bel, an honor student and aspiring neurosurgeon, died after facing bullying and stigma over being forced to wear the monitor. ICE also detained two Haitian pastors, Adrien and Dumano, who had lived in the U.S. for over a decade and provided spiritual and mental health support to the community. Haitian families in Springfield are reportedly afraid to leave their homes as deportation flights to Haiti continue.

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