Summer Lee Calls to Abolish ICE After Homicide Ruling in Migrant Death

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner has ruled the death of Daphy Michel, a 31-year-old Haitian immigrant released from ICE custody, a homicide. Following the finding, Representative Summer Lee intensified her demands to dismantle the agency, characterizing the system as a cycle of abandonment and dehumanization that claims preventable lives.

Michel died on March 2 from hypothermia, just four days after leaving the Washington County Correctional Facility. Despite having her misdemeanor charges dismissed, she was transferred to federal custody, fitted with an ankle monitor, and released under the agency’s Alternatives to Detention Program. Public records indicate the vulnerable woman, who struggled with severe mental health issues and language barriers, spent her final 24 hours in sub-freezing temperatures at a transit bus shelter.

The medical examiner’s office clarified that the homicide ruling signifies the death was caused by the actions of another individual, though it does not constitute a formal declaration of criminal guilt. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.’s office stated they are currently reviewing the official report and records before offering further comment. Meanwhile, legal counsel for the Michel family, Joseph Murphy, indicated that a civil lawsuit is expected.

Lee’s renewed push for abolition arrives as federal oversight of detainee welfare is shrinking. ICE recently rescinded a 2021 policy that mandated investigations and congressional reporting for any death occurring within 30 days of a detainee's release. This shift coincides with the passage of a new spending bill, signed Wednesday, which allocates $38 billion to ICE and $26 billion to Customs and Border Protection. Lee denounced the funding, arguing that Congress is prioritizing the expansion of a system that fails to protect the most vulnerable in favor of policies that obscure accountability.