Undocumented Immigrant Charged with Murdering Co-worker in Michigan

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday that an undocumented immigrant, accused of fatally stabbing a co-worker during a dispute at a Michigan food processing plant, should remain in custody rather than be released into the community.

Valmir Gempsley, a 20-year-old from Haiti, allegedly killed 21-year-old Brandon Eduardo Velasquez Chavez on June 30 at the Clemens Food Group plant in Coldwater, Michigan. Reports indicate that the altercation escalated when Gempsley purportedly chased Chavez with a knife and stabbed him in the back, after Chavez allegedly headbutted Gempsley during their argument.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, Chavez was declared dead at the scene. Local reports revealed that at the time of the incident, Gempsley was reportedly in the country on a work visa.

DHS stated that Gempsley illegally entered the U.S. from Texas in 2024 and was subsequently released under the Biden administration. He faces murder charges and has pleaded not guilty. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has requested that local authorities detain him.

Lauren Biss, the Acting Assistant Secretary of DHS, expressed strong condemnation regarding Gempsley’s release, stating, “This illegal alien savagely stabbed a colleague to death.” She blamed the current administration’s border policies, asserting that if it weren’t for those policies, this incident could have been avoided, emphasizing the tragedy of a life lost.

As per court documents, the argument that led to the stabbing involved Chavez using one of Gempsley’s knives. Gempsley has been denied bail and is presently being held in the Branch County Jail.

Branch County prosecutors highlighted the gravity of the situation in court, noting that Gempsley was a guest in the U.S. and should have acted responsibly. They termed the act as “the most serious violation known to humanity.”