Daphy Michel, a 31-year-old Haitian immigrant suffering from severe mental illness, died of hypothermia at a Pittsburgh bus shelter in February 2025 after being released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 20°F weather wearing only summer clothes. The Allegheny County medical examiner ruled her death a homicide in June, and her family's attorney announced a lawsuit against the federal agency.
Timeline of Events Leading to Death
On February 26, 2025, a judge dismissed criminal misdemeanor charges against Michel, who had spent six months in Washington County jail after a mental health crisis. Her brother, who asked to remain anonymous, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that he expected to pick her up the next day but never received the promised call. Instead, on March 2, he got a call from a Pittsburgh hospital saying Michel had died.
Surveillance footage from Pittsburgh Regional Transit, obtained by Public Source, shows Michel sitting or lying at the same bus stop for over 24 hours from 9:40 a.m. on March 1 until her discovery. Maintenance workers found her unresponsive with no discernible pulse, according to Port Authority police. The temperature that morning was 20°F (-6.6°C).
ICE's Role and Contradictory Statements
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acknowledged that ICE processed Michel after her release from county jail, placing her in removal proceedings despite an upcoming asylum hearing. However, DHS stated on X in June that ICE had "NOTHING to do with this woman's death," claiming she died three days after ICE encountered her and was released with a fully charged phone in sunny weather in central Pittsburgh. DHS also called her "an illegal alien from Haiti," a characterization disputed by her family's attorney.
Joseph Murphy, the attorney representing Michel's family, refuted DHS claims, asserting her presence was legal and that her phone was useless because her plan had lapsed. He emphasized the freezing cold, the dangerous neighborhood, and her obvious mental illness, calling ICE's decision to leave her alone "a very bad judgment call."
Systemic Failures and Advocacy Concerns
Advocates point to a combination of factors: neglecting mental health in detention, releasing vulnerable detainees without adequate planning, and poor coordination between police forces. Adrianna Torres-García, deputy director of the Free Migration Project, said ICE often shows no concern for detainees after release, sometimes handing them a bus ticket and saying "good luck," regardless of weather or family connections.
Haddy Gassama, senior policy counsel at the ACLU, noted that ICE's release practices lack strict guidelines, failing to consider vulnerabilities like weather, mental health, or distance from home. She said this case "raises a question around ICE's own internal practices and the need for stricter guidelines."
Community Response and Broader Context
Michel's death has sparked vigils and fundraisers, with community members questioning why no one helped her during those hours. Jaime Martinez of Frontline Dignity received a hotline call on March 1 about a Haitian woman needing help, but he was out of town and referred the caller to others; it's unclear if police were contacted.
The case occurs amid anti-Haitian rhetoric, including false claims by Donald Trump about Haitians eating pets, leading to threats in Springfield, Ohio, and KKK recruitment in Charleroi. Pennsylvania has roughly 27,000 Haitians. In June, the Supreme Court allowed termination of Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitians.
Michel's obituary described her as a "person with a kind heart" who "showed great respect, courage and love for everyone." Her family, including parents and five siblings, seeks justice. Attorney Murphy concluded: "This person was loved."
