Haitian asylum seeker Daphy Michel freezes to death days after ICE release in Pittsburgh
Mar 2, 2026·Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Country of origin: Haiti

Daphy Michel, a 31-year-old Haitian asylum seeker who arrived at the southern border in 2022, died from hypothermia on March 2, 2026, after being released by ICE on February 27 or 28, 2026, under the Alternatives to Detention Program with an electronic ankle monitor. Michel had spent six months in Washington County Correctional Facility awaiting a preliminary hearing on misdemeanor charges stemming from an arrest for yelling due to untreated severe mental health issues. After her release, she was taken approximately 25 miles away to Pittsburgh and left at a bus shelter in sub-freezing temperatures (20–30°F) while wearing summer clothes, where she spent 24 to 30 hours alone before being found unresponsive. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide. Her family plans to sue the U.S. government and other entities, alleging ICE failed to account for her severe vulnerability, including untreated mental health conditions and significant language barriers.
Timeline
Sources
- Family to sue after woman released from ICE custody froze to death
The Guardian·Aug 2, 2026·archived copy
- A woman's hypothermia death in Pittsburgh after her release from ICE custody is ruled a homicide
Associated Press·Jun 13, 2026·archived copy
- ‘She showed love for everyone’: how did Daphy Michel end up frozen to death in a Pittsburgh bus shelter?
The Guardian·Aug 2, 2026·archived copy
- What happened to Daphy? Haitian woman’s death prompts Pittsburgh immigration lawyer to question ICE procedures
triblive.com·Mar 16, 2026·archived copy
- Photos: Haitian woman released by ICE spent 24 cold hours in bus shelter prior to death
publicsource.org·Apr 29, 2026·archived copy
- ICE Says 51 People Died in Custody Under Trump. Experts Say That’s an Undercount.
truthout.org·Jun 23, 2026·archived copy
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