Remembering Pierre Damas Bel: A Call for Compassion in Immigration Policy

I am heartbroken by the death of Pierre Damas Bel, a 20-year-old Haitian college student whose life was filled with promise.

Similar to my story, as an immigrant from Haiti, Pierre came to this country to pursue an education and build a future. He graduated from high school with honors, played soccer, participated in ROTC, and dreamed of a career in medicine.

According to his family, after losing immigration protections and being required to wear an ICE ankle monitor, Pierre experienced humiliation, bullying, and tremendous emotional distress. His death is a heartbreaking reminder that behind every immigration policy is a human being — a son, a daughter, a student, a worker, a family, and a future.

We can have an immigration system that respects the law and protects our borders without losing our compassion or our humanity.

We must also recognize that mental health is health. Young people and families experiencing fear, uncertainty, isolation, or emotional crisis must be able to reach affordable, accessible mental-health services before despair becomes tragedy.

Pierre’s story should challenge leaders across the political spectrum to ask difficult questions about how government policies affect people in the real world.

Immigration policy and mental-health care should never be separated from human dignity.

My prayers are with Pierre’s father, his family, his classmates, the Haitian community in Springfield, and everyone grieving this extraordinary young man.

May Pierre Damas Bel rest in peace.

If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a mental-health crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Source and Attribution

NBC News. "[Springfield, Ohio, Haitian student dies by suicide after ICE ankle monitor mandate]" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/springfield-ohio-haitian-student-dies-suicide-ice-mandates-ankle-monit-rcna595552