A viral claim circulating among leftists on social media accuses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of abandoning a Haitian asylum seeker far from home without notifying her family, leading to her death days later.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) swiftly debunked the narrative, stating ICE had no involvement in the woman’s passing and detailing her safe release.
Daphy Michel, 31, was a Haitian national who entered the U.S. in December 2022.
Michel was arrested by local authorities in Washington County, Pennsylvania, on charges of terroristic threats and harassment.
After the charges were dismissed in February, ICE encountered her, enrolled her in the Alternatives to Detention program, fitted her with an ankle monitor, and released her from their Pittsburgh office.
According to DHS, Michel was released with all her belongings, including a fully charged phone, in sunny weather in the middle of Pittsburgh, where public transportation is readily available.
She was under electronic monitoring while her immigration case continued.
Three days after being released, on March 2, Michel was found unresponsive at a Pittsburgh bus stop and later pronounced dead.
The cause of death has not been publicly confirmed, though some reports suggest cardiac arrest, with toxicology results pending.
Despite it apparently having nothing to do with her detention, the left quickly used her death to attack ICE.
Viral claims were plastered online that ICE released Michel without family notification, implying negligence led to her death.
DHS quoted one of the viral posts and explained that Michel died three days after her release and that ICE was not informed of her death until media reports surfaced.
On March 3, ICE received a tamper alert from her ankle monitor and sent officers to her last known GPS location, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office.
Local staff refused to cooperate or even speak with federal agents, forcing ICE to involve U.S. Marshals, who retrieved the severed monitor but received no information on Michel’s condition.
ICE had NOTHING to do with this woman’s death. She passed away THREE days after ICE encountered her.
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… https://t.co/NJGwIOjoAH
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 14, 2026
The agency wrote in full:
ICE had NOTHING to do with this woman’s death. She passed away THREE days after ICE encountered her.
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.
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. 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.
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.
The post DHS TORCHES LEFTIST LIE: Haitian Woman Didn’t Die from ICE Neglect – Was Released Safely in Pittsburgh appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.