Killing of Daphy Michel

Killing of Daphy Michel
DateFebruary 27 – March 2, 2026 (2026-02-27 – 2026-03-02)
Location
Deaths1
Involved agencyImmigration and Customs Enforcement

Daphy Michel (died March 2, 2026) was a 31-year-old Haitian asylum seeker who died from hypothermia after United States Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents dropped her off at a bus stop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her death was ruled a homicide by a Pennsylvania county medical examiner's office in June 2026.

Background

Originally from Haiti, Michel sought asylum in the United States in 2022 through the southern border, being granted parole based on urgent humanitarian need. She had been scheduled to attend a hearing two weeks after her death.[1]

In summer of 2025, Michel was arrested after being reported by a neighbor for threatening imaginary people, subsequently spending six months in Washington County Jail before a magistrate judged that she could not be tried for threatening imaginary beings.[2][3] During her time there, she was diagnosed with psychosis and underwent multiple psychological evaluations.[4] According to her brother, Michel had a history of mental illness.[4]

Upon release, ICE arrested her in her cell, put an ankle monitor on her and took her 25 miles (40 kilometers) away to Pittsburgh, where she sat at a bus shelter for days in winter.[5] According to her family's lawyer, Michel was wearing September clothes despite it being February.[3]

Death

On March 1, Michel was discovered unresponsive on the floor of a Pittsburgh bus shelter.[6] She later died at a Pittsburgh hospital the following day. Video acquired by Pittsburgh Regional Transit showed that Michel had remained at the bus stop for more than 30 hours prior to her death.[7]

Michel's brother Carlo was informed of her death when the hospital called him after her death to identify her.[6]

Investigation

In June 2026, Michel's death was ruled a homicide by the Allegheny County medical examiner.[4] Jim Madalinsky, a public information officer for the medical examiner's office and the Allegheny County Police Department, stated that "The opinion of the forensic pathologist in this case is that Ms. Michel was a vulnerable adult, suffering from untreated severe mental health issues and a significant language barrier when she was released from federal custody on February 27".[8] The decision indicated that Michel's death was caused by another person's actions and was not a declaration of criminal guilt.[8]

Reactions

Department of Homeland Security

Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, denied the organization's involvement in Michel's death, stating that "ICE had NOTHING to do with this woman’s death. She passed away THREE days after ICE encountered her" and referred to Michel as an "illegal alien from Haiti".[5][9]

She claimed that Michel was released with all her belongings and a fully charged phone and that the weather was sunny with public transportation accessible.[10]

She further stated that ICE was unaware of what happened to Michel after dropping her off, and had received a notification that her ankle monitor had been tampered with on March 3. They used GPS to track her to the county medical office, where staff refused to inform ICE federal law enforcement officials of Michel's condition[11]. ICE brought in US Marshals, who received the ankle monitor, but were also denied information on Michel from the office.[11] ICE only later learned Michel had died through the media.[12]

Politics

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato described Michel's death as "a tragedy and appears that with a little humanity, it could have been completely avoidable".[13][1]

Congresswoman Summer L. Lee issued a response to Michel's death, stating "Daphy's death was preventable and is the result of a violent system that cages people, surveils them, abandons them, dehumanizes them in life, and smears them in death to escape accountability".[14][15] She also called to abolish ICE.[15]

Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, stated "Too many immigrants — including Haitian nationals — have died in the custody or supervision of federal immigration authorities".[6]

Community

On March 29th, 2026, a vigil was performed at the bus stop where Michel had been found unresponsive.[16][9][17]

Family

On August 2nd, 2026, Michel's family's lawyer announced they were planning to file a lawsuit against the United States and “multiple other governmental and non-governmental entities” "very soon".[18][19]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "A woman's hypothermia death in Pittsburgh after her release from ICE custody is ruled a homicide". NBC News. 2026-06-15. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  2. ↑ Times, The Haitian (2026-03-14). "Haitian asylum seeker found dead days after ICE monitoring release in Pittsburgh". The Haitian Times. Retrieved 2026-07-21.
  3. 1 2 Press, Associated (2026-06-14). "A woman's hypothermia death in Pittsburgh after her release from ICE custody is ruled a homicide". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  4. 1 2 3 Gunderson, Kalea (2026-06-15). "Death by hypothermia of Haitian asylum seeker found at Pittsburgh bus stop after release from ICE ruled homicide". WTAE. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  5. 1 2 Press, Associated (2026-06-15). "Woman's hypothermia death after her release by ICE is ruled a homicide". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  6. 1 2 3 "Haitian asylum seeker found dead in Pittsburgh bus shelter days after release by ICE". The Independent. 2026-03-17. Retrieved 2026-07-21.
  7. ↑ Gunderson, Kalea (2026-07-03). "Pittsburgh detectives investigating death of Haitian asylum seeker ruled homicide". WTAE. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  8. 1 2 Rego, Max (2026-06-15). "Haitian woman's hypothermia death after ICE release ruled a homicide". The Hill.
  9. 1 2 Wiggan, Jamie; Lord, Rich (2026-06-12). "Death of Haitian immigrant ruled a homicide. ICE denies responsibility". Pittsburgh's Public Source. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  10. ↑ Gunderson, Kalea (2026-06-15). "Death by hypothermia of Haitian asylum seeker found at Pittsburgh bus stop after release from ICE ruled homicide". WTAE. Retrieved 2026-07-21. Following her arrest by local authorities for Terroristic Threats and Harassment, Daphy Michel, an illegal alien from Haiti, was encountered by ICE and placed in removal proceedings. ICE issued her an ICE ankle monitor and she was released from ICE custody on February 27. She was released with all of her belongings, including a fully charged phone, in sunny weather in the middle of Pittsburgh, where public transport is readily available
  11. 1 2 Gunderson, Kalea (2026-06-15). "Death by hypothermia of Haitian asylum seeker found at Pittsburgh bus stop after release from ICE ruled homicide". WTAE. Retrieved 2026-07-21. On March 3, ICE received a notification that her ankle monitor had been tampered with. ICE officers traveled to her last known location on the GPS system: the county medical office. Upon arrival, local staff refused to cooperate or even talk with ICE federal law enforcement officials. Our officers instead had to call the US Marshal's service, who were let into the building and were given the severed ankle monitor. However, staff refused to even tell the U.S. Marshals about the individual's condition
  12. ↑ Gunderson, Kalea (2026-06-15). "Death by hypothermia of Haitian asylum seeker found at Pittsburgh bus stop after release from ICE ruled homicide". WTAE. Retrieved 2026-07-21. ICE was never given official notification of her passing and found out about her death via the media thanks to the local county's refusal to even have a conversation with federal law enforcement
  13. ↑ "Haitian asylum seeker's death days after ICE release raises questions". NewsNation.
  14. ↑ Engel, James. "Death of Haitian woman released from ICE custody in Pittsburgh is ruled homicide". triblive.com. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
  15. 1 2 "Rep. Summer Lee Statement on Local Migrant's Death Ruled a Homicide | Congresswoman Summer Lee". summerlee.house.gov. 2026-06-12. Retrieved 2026-07-20. Daphy Michel was a human being. She happened to be born on the other side of a border, but she was no less worthy of care, safety, and dignity. That should not have been a death sentence. Daphy's death was preventable and is the result of a violent system that cages people, surveils them, abandons them, dehumanizes them in life, and smears them in death to escape accountability. She deserved care, shelter, language access, and medical support. ICE and every agency that failed her must answer for this. And now, as more people die in and around ICE custody, their answer is not transparency, accountability, or care, but to stop reporting the deaths of recently released detainees altogether. We may never know how many more stories like Daphy's have been hidden by a system built to disappear people. Rather than pour billions more into the agency that murdered her, we must abolish ICE and build systems rooted in equity and basic human dignity.
  16. ↑ Taylor, Felicity (2026-03-30). "Family, supporters seek answers in death of woman released from ICE custody in Pittsburgh". WTAE. Retrieved 2026-07-21.
  17. ↑ Staff, WPXI com News (2026-03-30). "Community members hold vigil for woman who died days after being released by ICE in Pittsburgh". WPXI. Retrieved 2026-07-21.
  18. ↑ Domínguez, Alba Asenjo (2026-08-02). "Family to sue after woman released from ICE custody froze to death". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  19. ↑ Domínguez, Alba Asenjo (2026-08-02). "'She showed love for everyone': how did Daphy Michel end up frozen to death in a Pittsburgh bus shelter?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
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