LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. – A Haitian national accused of killing his aunt and strangling his cousin during a violent attack in Lehigh Acres is now the subject of an immigration detainer filed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE lodged the detainer against Whycliff Longin on Aug. 27, the same day Lee County deputies arrested him. DHS identified Longin as a Haitian national unlawfully present in the United States and said he had previously been released into the country during the Biden administration.
Longin faces homicide, attempted homicide, sexual battery and burglary with a battery charges stemming from the Aug. 27 incident, according to DHS and local reporting cited by the agency. The charges are accusations, and Longin is presumed innocent unless convicted.
- Lee County deputies found Amadette Longin dead inside a Lehigh Acres duplex.
- A second woman told investigators she woke up with Longin on top of her, strangling her, before she escaped into a bathroom and called 911.
- ICE lodged a detainer with the Lee County Jail on the same day Longin was arrested.
Woman Escapes Into Bathroom and Calls 911
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a duplex in Lehigh Acres after receiving a report of a domestic disturbance.
Deputies found Amadette Longin dead inside the residence.
The woman who called 911 told investigators she had awakened to a man on top of her and strangling her. She managed to break free, barricade herself in a bathroom and call for help.
Deputies arrived and took Whycliff Longin into custody.
Family members told local reporters that Amadette Longin was the suspect’s aunt and the surviving woman was his cousin.
What charges does Whycliff Longin face?
Longin is charged with homicide, attempted homicide, sexual battery and burglary with a battery, according to DHS.
ICE Lodges Detainer With Lee County Jail
ICE filed its immigration detainer with the Lee County Jail on Aug. 27.
DHS said Longin is a Haitian national who was released into the United States during the Biden administration. The agency did not provide additional immigration-history details in the statement beyond describing him as unlawfully present.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin tied the case to the administration’s broader immigration enforcement push.
“This illegal alien from Haiti is charged with homicide, attempted homicide, sexual battery, and burglary with a battery after allegedly killing a woman and attempting to strangle another woman to death,” Mullin said.
He added that ICE would work with Florida authorities to prevent Longin from being released into the community.
Who was killed in the Lehigh Acres attack?
The woman who died was identified as Amadette Longin. Her family told local reporters that she was Whycliff Longin’s aunt.
DHS Blames Biden-Era Immigration Policies
DHS used the case to criticize immigration policies under former President Joe Biden, saying Longin should not have been released into the country.
Mullin said the administration believes stricter immigration enforcement would have prevented Longin from being present in the United States at the time of the alleged crimes.
That statement reflects DHS’s position on the case. The criminal charges against Longin remain pending in Florida.
What does the ICE detainer mean?
The detainer notifies the Lee County Jail that ICE is seeking custody of Longin for federal immigration enforcement after his local custody status allows for transfer.
Sources: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Sept. 2 statement on Whycliff Longin; Gulf Coast News, local reporting cited by DHS
