PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
September 2, 2026
Contact: press@alianzaamericas.org / (773) 638-4278
Yesterday, a young Haitian man took his life on the highway. Pierre Damas Bel was a freshman at Wright State University, where he dreamed of majoring in neuroscience and psychology. Pierre was only 20 years old and, after playing soccer on the Springfield City School District varsity team, hoped to continue playing in college. He was a strong student, and as he described on his social media, he had worked hard and should be looking forward to a bright future.
But, with the stroke of a pen and without assessing conditions in Haiti, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin terminated TPS for Haiti. TPS has been terminated for Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Syria, and Venezuela by the current administration. Only El Salvador, Ukraine, Sudan, and Lebanon remain active with termination dates in September, October, and November 2026, respectively. Decisions have been made regardless of the country's conditions, how long TPS holders have lived in the U.S., or those countries' ability to receive and reintegrate them and their families.
Immigration enforcement has become the practice of cruelty by all means and at any cost. Violent arrests, detention in inadequate conditions, deportations -including deportations to third countries-, and separation of families, all with no due process rights protections, are key components of immigration cruelty. The latest strategy in a myriad of efforts to coerce people to return to their countries of origin has been an increase in arrests and releases with ankle monitors, with the understanding of the unfortunate and cruel stigma associated with them. Springfield, Ohio, felt the brunt of this strategy, a town that became nationally known for then-candidate Trump's offensive and absurd claims during a presidential debate.
Many immigrants feel particularly dehumanized when ICE agents affix an ankle monitor to them. Alianza Americas opposes the use of ankle monitors and other forms of electronic surveillance against TPS holders and all other immigrants. TPS recipients have undergone repeated background checks, fingerprinting, and government vetting to maintain their status. Subjecting them to ankle monitors or unnecessary check-ins is punitive, stigmatizing, and unjustified. Many have lived in the United States with government authorization for years or even decades. They should not be treated as a public safety or flight risk simply because of their immigration status. We must also recognize that immigration irregularity is not a choice: many immigrants never had a viable pathway to enter lawfully, obtain a visa, or secure permanent residence.
We call on schools, universities, and all communities to inform and educate on the limitations of the current immigration system, and to understand the pain and suffering that a person with an ankle monitor carries. When cruelty is the policy, we all suffer.
Alianza Americas mourns the loss of Pierre Damas Bel and stands with his family, friends, and community in this moment of profound grief. Pierre's death is a painful reminder of the human consequences of immigration policies rooted in punishment, surveillance, and cruelty. No one should be subjected to this treatment simply because of their immigration status. These practices must end. We call on our communities and our government to reject policies that inflict suffering and affirm the dignity and humanity of every person.
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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity, and human rights in the Americas.
