In a contentious ruling that has reignited debate over immigration enforcement practices, the Allegheny County medical examiner declared the death of a Haitian woman a homicide after her release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. The decision, announced Friday, found that 31-year-old Daphy Michel died of hypothermia on March 2, with the manner of death classified as homicide.
Michel, who was 31 and lacked permanent legal status, died at 12:14 p.m. at a local hospital after being released by ICE on February 27. The medical examiner’s office stated that Michel was a vulnerable adult suffering from untreated severe mental health issues and faced a significant language barrier at the time of her release. Jim Madalinsky, the public information officer for both the medical examiner’s office and the Allegheny County Police Department, emphasized that the homicide ruling is a standard manner-of-death determination indicating the death was caused by the actions of another individual, not a declaration of criminal guilt.
ICE Officials Push Back
Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, told The Hill that ICE had nothing to do with Michel’s death. According to Bis, ICE officers encountered Michel, placed her in removal proceedings, and released her with an ankle monitor 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,” Bis said.
Bis added that on March 3, ICE received a notification that Michel’s ankle monitor had been tampered with. Officers traced the device to the medical examiner’s office, but local staff refused to cooperate. “Our officers instead had to call the U.S. 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,” Bis said. She noted that ICE learned of Michel’s death through media reports, not from local authorities.
Broader Context of Custody Deaths
ICE reported that 18 people have died in its custody so far this year, though Michel is not included in that count. Last year, the agency recorded 33 deaths. A 2024 report from the American Civil Liberties Union found that medical experts deemed 49 of 52 ICE custody deaths from 2017 through 2021 as preventable or possibly preventable with appropriate care. The report also noted that medical staff at ICE detention facilities made incorrect or incomplete diagnoses in 88 percent of those cases.
This case echoes broader concerns about the treatment of vulnerable immigrants in federal custody and the coordination between federal and local agencies. The dispute over Michel’s death highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement and public health responsibilities.
