OCTOBER 2, 2026
Contact: info@haitianbridge.org, media@haitianbridge.org

Springfield, OH — The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) and the Haitian Support Center  announce the funeral service for Pierre Damas Bel, a brilliant 20-year-old immigrant from the Republic of Haiti and Wright State University student, whose death comes amid the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 350k Haitians nationals and more than a million other nationals whose countries are facing severe humanitarian and security crises. Bel had reportedly been placed under electronic monitoring by U.S. immigration authorities and had spoken publicly about the fear, shame, bullying, and emotional distress he experienced while wearing an ankle monitor

The funeral service will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 34 W. Pleasant Street, Springfield, Ohio 45506. Burial will follow immediately at 1504 Villa Road, Springfield, Ohio 45503. The service will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person through the Haitian Bridge Alliance’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Pierre’s passing has deeply affected his family, friends, and members of the community. HBA is working alongside his loved ones to ensure that he is honored and remembered with dignity.

““We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre’s family, friends, and all those who knew and loved him,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance. “Pierre should not be dead today. His death is a devastating reminder of the human cost of the cruelty and inhumanity of this administration’s policies toward Haitian people and immigrant communities. At a time when his family should be planning for a future with him, they are instead forced to mourn his loss. We stand with his loved ones and with our community in demanding dignity, accountability, and justice. Pierre’s life mattered, and we will not allow his death to be forgotten.”

ABOUT HAITIAN BRIDGE ALLIANCE

Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), also known as “The Bridge”, is a grassroots community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies, foreign policy, and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA also seeks to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and builds solidarity and collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook: @haitianbridge