By Jovani Davis
(Source: CNW)
A 49-year-old Canadian man detained by U.S. immigration authorities in South Florida has died in federal custody, marking another death in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities this year.
Johnny Noviello, a long-time U.S. resident originally from Canada, died on Monday, June 23, at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami. ICE said he was found unresponsive and that medical personnel immediately administered CPR and used an automated external defibrillator before calling emergency services. The cause of death is under investigation.
Noviello had lived in the United States for decades. He entered legally in 1988 and became a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) in 1991. However, he was convicted in 2023 in Volusia County, Florida, on several charges related to drug trafficking and racketeering, and was sentenced to one year in prison.
After serving his sentence, ICE agents took him into custody on May 15 at his probation office. He was awaiting deportation proceedings based on his drug convictions, which under U.S. immigration law make a person eligible for removal, even if they are a legal permanent resident.
According to the New York Times, at least 10 immigrants have died in ICE custody in the six months since Jan. 1, including two at a facility in Miami, the Krome detention center, where detainees earlier this month formed a human “S.O.S.” sign in the yard. At least two of the deaths were suicides, in Arizona and Georgia.
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, confirmed via social media that Canadian consular officials have been notified and are “urgently seeking more information” from U.S. authorities.
ICE, a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that the agency is committed to providing a “safe, secure and humane” environment for all detainees and emphasized that “at no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”
Noviello’s death is likely to renew scrutiny of the health and safety conditions in U.S. immigration detention facilities, particularly amid growing concerns about medical care and transparency in federal custody.