Bulwark Takes - What We Did to This 20-Year-Old Is Unforgivable

Episode Date: September 2, 2026

A 20-year-old Haitian college student, Pierre Damas Bel, came to America to study, play soccer, serve in JROTC, and pursue a career in medicine. Instead, he was placed with an ankle monitor, bullied and humiliated by classmates, and made to feel like a criminal despite having committed no crime.Tim Miller and Sam Stein discuss Pierre’s tragic death, the human cost of Trump’s immigration crackdown, and the cruelty being inflicted on Haitian immigrants by Trump and JD Vance.Tim and JVL on JD Vance's book: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-dramatic-reading-of-jd-vances-awfulFor a limited time, Tempo is offering our listeners 60% off your first box! Go to https://TempoMeals.com/BulwarkTakesWe’ll be honest—stories about the human cost of this administration’s policies are devastating. But they matter, and paid Bulwark members give us the freedom to cover them anyway—without having to let the algorithm decide which stories deserve attention. Join us and help make that important work possible.

Hey, everybody. It's Tim Miller from the Bullwark here with managing editor, Sam Stein. We have some tragic news today that both of us are in a state about coming out of Springfield. And so we want to talk about that and some related news from the vice president. Pierre Bell, a 20-year-old college student, killed himself, committed suicide today, jumped in front of a vehicle in Ohio. He went to Wright State University. His family came from Haiti as part of the temporary protected. status program during the Biden years. He had been wanting to study medicine. He graduated high school with honors. He was a proud member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Obviously, he's not a

criminal. And he had recently had one of these ankle monitors strapped on him that our colleague Jim Smith was reporting about earlier this week. It's a horrible story, Sam. How do you want to start? Well, yeah. I mean, I've been sort of gripped by this one all day. I first saw the news in the Washington Post, which reported this, he walked into, basically what happened is he at 845 in the morning pulled his vehicle over. This, I believe, was two days ago maybe. We're recording this on the first. So I think it happened on the 31st. Pulled his vehicle over on the interstate. Okay. No one pulls their vehicle older over on the shoulder of the interstate, got out at 845 in the morning and just walked into traffic and was hit by a tractor trailer, pronounced dead at the scene.

He's 20 years old, okay? And this shook me, obviously, for obvious reasons. And then it just got progressively more depressing through the course of the day because advocates on the ground were talking to his family. They put out a statement. And it became pretty clear, like abundantly clear, that what happened here is he was subjected to inhumane psychological torture by our government. He wanted to play soccer at this university, and he really couldn't do it with an ankle monitor on him.

And his father had a note that I'd like to read, which made it very clear that this was a suicide perpetuated by an absolute mental breakdown by our government. The note said this, and I'll just read it. And then you can give your thoughts, but I have additional thoughts about the people of Haiti. I have a little bit of experience. I've been to the island a couple times. I like to talk about that. But this is what the father wrote. He wrote this.

After my son was outfitted with the ankle monitor, he felt like he was treated like an animal. He took two trips to Cincinnati in Westerville to plead to the officers to remove the bracelet since he's a soccer player. And he felt embarrassed and humiliated when he was among his classmates at the university. He was bullied. A lot. People telling him he's a criminal. Last Friday, August 28th, he told me, quote, dad, I feel humiliated since they gave me uniforms to all my classmates at J.R. OTC, that's junior ROTC, their uniform, but except me because of my bracelet.

This morning, he left the house before 8 a.m. He called me at 803 on the video call mentally because I don't feel okay. And I told him, come home so that we can talk. I had my youngest to take to school. I took him to school. By the time I got around 11 a.m., police showed at my door to report that he threw himself under a truck. I mean, it like brings you to tears reading it. I can't cannot believe that this is how we are treating people, whether or not you feel TPS status should end for these people. And I have my own thoughts on that. To reduce a 20-year-old kid who wants to study, I think, neuroscience and serve and play soccer like an animal where you wrap a monitor around his ankle is the most, it's just vicious. It's that it's just vicious.

Yeah, you know, like you're tagging them like cattle. And you can pull out this picture here. He posted this on Instagram. You can see how he's upset about it. He writes this. I came to the country to pursue my education. I didn't come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone. Yet now I'm walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor. Carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation.

I've never imagined how to experience. You can see it there. Like, it's huge. I mean, like, massive. Some people don't know these things. Like, it's like a fucking refrigerator on his ankle. And it's like, it's totally unnecessary.

I feel like I'm repetitive on this point, but I think it's important to keep making, which is even if you're on the side that the Haitians need to go home or a Siles need to go home or any, a DACA child and needs to be sent back to the country that they're born in. Like, there are humane and orderly ways to do this. Like, this is, there was a process for this before we even had a DHS. We had immigration and naturalization services, like all through the 80s 90s. there were a way to do this where they're given a time where they need to go home. They have an opportunity to appeal, right? There's no need to put a ankle monitor on a 20-year-old that's in the JROTC who hasn't committed any crimes. There's just no need for it.

It's gratuitous and it's cruel. And, you know, it's tragic. And Jim wrote just about all these other stories like this, like that poor mother who just tried to give birth and, and lost her baby and then went in for a checkup and then she got the ankle bracelet put on and a shackle put on. And it's, and it's like, this is not any way to treat people that have not done anything wrong. Like, it's not any way to treat people, by the way, that slam across the Rio Grande, but these people didn't do that.

They came through a legal process. Yeah, he came legally. His parents actually had fled Haiti. So they came first. And then he came to be with them. And I believe he was in a side. He obviously was here on TPS, but he was applying for asylum. So he did, he had a pending asylum claim.

So everything he did was by the books, okay? He wasn't a criminal. He went by the books. He followed the law. And I spent the little time on the Instagram feed. And it's like, it's like watching, you know, the American dream, the pursuit of the American dream get violently interrupted. And it makes you fucking sick to your stomach. I mean, he's posting.

And the post, obviously, Instagram. Instagram's a filter for like all the great things of life. But his posts are like it. He's playing soccer. He's got these fancy outfits because he's doing fun things with his friends. He's exceedingly excited to graduate. He's got his cap and gown on. He's holding his diploma in his degree. There's one picture where he's like in a limo because he's just graduated. There's another picture where it looks like he's starting work somewhere. There's other pictures where he's holding more diplomas. He's in his uniform. The last photo, the last photo he posted was a series of photos. It's him with a big green sign. First day of class. He just started college, Wright State

University. He had his whole future ahead of him. He has, on his bio, study psychology and neuroscience, preparation for medical school. This guy wanted to do good things in this country. He wanted to go to college. He's going to college. This is the other thing. He could just give him a student visa. Again, like this is not an illegal immigrant. It's somebody that came, if there was another situation where someone was in Haiti and applied to Wright State University and got into Wright State University, they could just get a student visa to go there. Right. I, you know, I mean, this, this is all absurd and, and this deplorable, like the way that he's being treated. Anyway, you had other thoughts about Haiti. Well, so then just quickly on Haiti, because the vilification of Haitians,

which has been going on for a couple years. You know, it hits a little bit differently for me. So I think I've talked about this a couple of times. And, you know, it's been a while since I've been to Haiti. But I did go there three times when I was a kid. I went there because my dad did a medical mission when he was in a resident at medical school. So he went to this little village called Deschapel in the mountains of Haiti. And this is like, you know, he waited for a,

me and my siblings to get of age so that we could go, because you can't really bring kids there. So I think I went there when I was like 11, 12, 13, something like that. Went three times. I remember I spent a Christmas there. It was very interesting. This is the most impoverished destitute place you can possibly imagine. This drive to Deschapel from Porta Prince probably normally would take like an hour. It took us four hours because there's so many potholes.

And when you get off the plane, it really hits you. Like the first thing you get off the plane, you're like absolutely hounded by kids just begging you for money, like begging you for money. I mean, I remember very vividly being like, holy shit, this is very intense. And then you get there and you realize like these people are like absolutely salt to the earth. Like all they want is opportunity. Like genuinely the nicest human beings on the planet. Obviously this is a generalization. Sure.

Sure. There is crime and corruption in Haiti. But the vilification of the Haitians who came. came to Springfield is one of the more saddening elements to me of the Trump 2.0 era. What we've essentially said is we're not going to bother understanding these people. We're not going to bother meeting these people. We're not going to bother extending a hand to these people because they're different, because they're brown, because they come from Haiti.

And it is the most antithetical thing to me for people who proselytize and assist that they are Christian and heart and values to turn around and say, you know what, what, you came here on TPS status and we in that temporary is in the word. So don't complain. And I was almost reluctant to put up the post today about this guy, Pierre, because I know in the replies, there's going to be a bunch of grotesque human beings who are like, yeah, well, not my fault. Yeah. And it just makes me so sad to think that this is what we've been reduced to. These people need help, but they're also hardworking. They come here.

They want to study neuroscience. They want to play soccer. they want to make a difference, they want to serve in the military. And we're like, you know what? You're different. We don't like you. Go back. It's really sad.

It's really tragic. What happened to Pierre? I'll just say this. I'm going through his Instagram feed while we're talking. Literally, it's him in the library. It's him in his uniform. It's him getting a diploma. The smile on his face.

He's in this nice little suit. Probably bought the suit just for this moment. And the whole future is ahead of him. And then in a matter of months, He gets an ankle monitor bracelet, gets bullied in his school, can't play soccer, can't do the ROTC, feels so ashamed of himself that he throws himself in front of a big rig. It's horrifying. And this message is brought to by Tempo Meals.

Now, during the week, my schedule is pretty nonstop. And when I'm busy, eating healthy is usually the first thing that slips and it slips often. That's why I've been loving tempo. The meals, they're already prepared. And so when I'm hungry, I can have a ready meal in just. two minutes. I've been getting meals like their citrus herb chicken and the filet mignon, and what I love most is that they're actually satisfying and taste fresh. It doesn't taste like your usual prepared meal. It's really good. I don't feel like I'm eating a sad desk lunch or takeout that's been in the

fridge for a couple days. Tempo meals delivers fresh, chef curated, dietitian approved meals right to your door with over 20 recipes every week made from nutrient-rich ingredients. There are options for different goals, too, like a protein-packed meal with over 30-gram of protein, fiber-rich, calorie-conscious, and gut support. And if you're going to the gym, which I've been trying to do, that's the meal I want. For a limited time, Tempo is offering our listeners 60% off. That's 60% off. That's 6.0, their first box. So go to Tempomails.com slash bulwark takes. That's Tempomeles.com slash bulwark takes for 60% off your first box, templemeals.com slash bulwark takes. Rules and restrictions may apply. This is kind of a harsh

transition, but it is the fault of J.D. Vance. I don't know. All the things that you said about what people are saying about the Haitians. Like actually, people are saying a lot worse than the things that you said. The vice president was the one who decided to perpetuate the lie that they're animal eaters, their pet eaters. He said he knew it was a lie, but he needed to spread the lie to get people to pay attention to the alleged policy issue and his concern, which I guess the policy issue is that he wanted people like Pierre to be like shackled with ankle monitors and sent back to a country where there's like really no opportunity at all in grave danger for them. I thought that was an interesting contrast like J.D. Vance being the point man for this just despiccally inhumane

policy that resulted in the suicide. And also an interview he did with a child on a podcast this week where he talks about the chances of going to heaven. On a scale of one, one to 10, 10 being absolutely certain, one being not certain at all. How confident are you that you'd go to heaven? Oh, man, that is a tough question. It's high, but it's not 10, right? I mean, it's, it's a seven or it's an eight. Like, I'm always one of these people who is always going to have little doubts.

And like, if you'd asked me that question a year ago, probably was like a five or a six. Wow. Wait, why the, why the change, like five or six and now seven or eight? Because I'd say the difference is, and again, all respect to God. But, you know, I still occasionally have doubts like, is this actually real? Yeah. Right. Do you notice what the doubt was there?

You notice what the doubt was there. Is this real? It's not that he might have aired. It's not that he might go to hell. JD's doubt is that God might not exist. Like, JD, like, we might live in a simulation or whatever, or, you know, this might have been an accident, a big bang, which is fine. That's a fine doubt to have, but it's pretty striking that he gives himself an

eight in the likelihood of going to heaven. And the only reason it's not a nine are tennis, because heaven might not exist. Like the thought doesn't even occur to him that he might go to hell. And I don't know, Sam, I have additional thoughts. You're Jewish. You're not as quite as familiar with the heaven and hell, you know, kind of construct. But what are your thoughts? But lack of humility in to, to, to, to,

rate your ability to get through the pearly gates. I mean, you have to really be on a different planet to like start being like, you know what? Do we get to do decimal points? Because that'd be like a 7.8. You know, like, the right answer is this. Who am I to know? It's up to the Lord above. I'm trying to serve others.

I hope that on this planet. I can show that I'm worthy of it. But who am I to know? You don't rate yourself. I mean, it's unreal. We talked about this. We talked about this, you and I did, about people who go on TV, who think they sound good on TV and really stink. And that is a prime example of someone who, when he's sitting there, he's like, you know what, I got a good answer for this.

He's not actually better in writing because thanks to producer Matt Nansley for flagging this for me, because I've forgotten it. even though I did the live reading of the J.D. Vance conversion to Catholicism book with JVL, some epic content. We'll put it in the notes here. If you missed that, you should go back to read and watch it. But it was so horrifying afterwards,

I had to, like, black out. And I just, I tried to block everything out of my mind because I couldn't deal with it anymore. And so I'd forgotten this passage from the book. So this wasn't just like an off-the-cuff thing. It was like he just lacked humility in that moment. In the book that went through editing that he wrote, that had multiple editors,

he wrote this. Page 251, finish it for yourself. I don't worry about what I will find at the other side of eternal sleep. Even as a child, I never feared hell. Ousha, like Joan Didion, dreaded neither the loss of heaven or the pains of hell for the most logical reason. She simply didn't think they existed. I came to believe in both, but I still didn't find either particularly motivating.

That's really interesting in telling. It's sort of this moral absolution, right? Like, I don't really worry about this stuff. Like, I can vilify Haitians. I can say they're animal eaters. And I can rationalize it as, you know, just being tough on immigrants. And you know what? Don't bother me because I'm pretty sure I'm going to heaven.

Pretty sure no matter what, I'm going to heaven. And the ability to sort of skate like that. It's actually a really interesting insight. And it tells you sort of a lot about the guy where he's able to sort of self rationalize. He thinks he's on the pious path, no matter what. Yeah, just a couple of additional thoughts. to that. I don't want to pretend we should have had anger on or somebody that is a little deeper in Christian theology. But I did 13 years of Catholic school. The Ninth Commandment,

their Old Testament, so this is your people. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. I do think in this case, he admitted that he was bearing false witness. He's smearing his neighbors, but calling them pet eaters. So, you know, maybe he is gone to confession about that. We'll get to Yeah, but Tim, that's why he's not at an eight or nine. It's why he's on it. No, no, it's not. The reason he's not an eight or nine is how he might not exist. He's definitely going.

The golden rule might be another thing, you know, treating others. You would want to be treated. I'm sure he'd love to be shackled like an animal. Can we talk about that for a second? Did you see Milo on Pierce? Oh, yeah. The part, you're going to bring up a different part. My favorite part of the Pears, Milo interview is where Pierce asked him,

he references his family back in the United States. And Pierce goes, are you speaking about your wife? No, no, no. I'm mad. No, Milo talking, yes, it was right before that, because Milo was talking about, you know, I was shackled, I was treated inhumanely. I thought this was the stuff they did to MS-13.

They do this to everybody. And he was like, I was weak. I fell. I cried like an old lady. And he's like, I, you know, I, my, and basically he's like, I've seen the light. This is horrible. And then he subscribes.

Like, how could we, you know, I feel ashamed for supporting Trump. And it's like, I don't know, man. I don't know. I kind of want to welcome you into seeing the light. But boy, you talked about masturbating to ICE videos too. Like, I don't really think so. This one's a tough one. And it's like, JD, I don't know, man.

Maybe you should try it. We're an ankle monitor, you know, see what it's like and see if that fits. A day in the shoes. Yeah. Get thrown in these fucking internment camps we have. One other thing I just do want to say is the Catholic, a final point of personal privilege is, one miss here for JD might be that I know it's going to be a shock to people is that the Catholic conversion is fake kind of like the Donald Trump conversion and he you know he grew up as a

Protestant he just might not realize that the rules are different like I don't speak to the as a Protestant but my understanding is like on their side of the aisle it's a cradle Catholic all you got to do is kind of bring Jesus into your heart and you can make it happen it's not about works it's about faith and and that's not how things work on the Catholic side like you don't just get to be like, hey, I believe in Jesus and God and get to go to heaven. The rules are a little different. He might just want to kind of review, re-review the catechism because, you know, you got to do a little better than this.

And when he interviewed with Ross Dahlck, I remember, and Ross asked if he had, is there anything you wanted to take back? And he did take back the childless cat ladies. But not this. That's not this. Well, look, this is out of my expertise. I don't really know what the Catholic rules are. I know what the Jewish rules are.

And we are just run by guilt. like we just feel guilty about everything and insecurities he could use some guilt and some exactly late in insecurities and guilt and fear of like what's the thing where you just uh you're you're you're faking it or like you're exposed as imposter syndrome imposter syndromes like that's it that's judaism right there and i think everyone can use a little bit of that well jd vans sucks as usual um just really tragic rest easy to pierre let's make i don't want to make this about jd I want to make this about Pierre. And I want people to understand that Pierre shouldn't have, this should never have happened.

Honestly, should never have happened. It's awful. And I hope people elevate his stories that we don't do this to other people. There are 350,000 Haitian immigrants in this country. Many of them have just lost TPS status. And this is not going to be the last horror story. It's not. And we need to shine a light on this shit because it's awful what's happening.

So I just went in on that. Yeah, I agree. A lot of Haitians here in New Orleans, a lot of Haitian brothers and sisters. It's tough to kind of imagine the culture here without them. And it's just, it's really fucking sick what they're doing. Thank you to Sam for getting me off my ass to come talk about this. That is really important. And sending all our love to Pierre's family.

And we'll be back tomorrow. I'll subscribe to the feed. Appreciate you guys.