Canadian authorities are investigating the death of a 49-year-old Canadian man, Johnny Noviello, who died while in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida. According to ICE’s statement, Noviello was found unresponsive on June 23 at a federal detention center in Miami, where he was being held pending deportation from the US. Medical staff responded immediately, administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation and calling 911.
Noviello, who entered the US in 1988 and became a permanent resident in 1991, was taken into ICE custody on May 15 due to his conviction on multiple drug charges, including racketeering and drug trafficking in Volusia County, Florida. He had been sentenced to 12 months in prison in 2023.
Canada’s Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, stated that Canadian authorities had been notified of Noviello’s death and were seeking more information from US officials. The incident marks the ninth death in ICE custody this year and the fourth in a Florida facility. ICE maintains its commitment to ensuring the safety and humane treatment of those in its custody, emphasizing that emergency care is never denied.
Noviello’s lawyer, Daniel Leising, who represented him in the 2023 racketeering case, mentioned that Noviello had no history of violence or dangerous behavior and was simply working and following his medication for epilepsy without any issues. The family had worked diligently to ensure that he received his medication.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/27/canada-citizen-death-ice-custody
