Canada Is 'Urgently Seeking More Information' After One of Its Citizens Died Under ICE Custody in Florida

Johnny Noviello, a Canadian citizen who became a U.S. permanent resident in 1991, died Monday at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Miami while waiting for "removal proceedings." Canada is now "urgently seeking more information" about his death.

Noviello was found unresponsive on Monday at around 1 p.m. at the Bureau of Prisons Federal Detention Center in Miami, according to an ICE statement. Medical staff then proceeded to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator shock and called 911. Noviello was pronounced dead by the Miami Rescue Department at 1:36 p.m., the agency said.

ICE added in the statement that "comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay."

Noviello entered the U.S. in 1988 with a legal visa status and became a lawful permanent resident in 1991, according to The New York Times. In October 2023 he was convicted of charges of racketeering and drug trafficking in Volusia County, Fla., and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Court documents also show Noviello and his father were also arrested and charged in 2017 with selling drugs, including hydrocodone and oxycodone, at an auto shop in Daytona Beach, Fla. Noviello was detained by ICE this past May 15 and charged with removability because of the controlled substance convictions, the ICE statement said.

ICE said that it notified the Canadian consulate of Noviello's death on Thursday. Global Affairs Canada said consular officials are in contact with U.S. authorities to gather more information about Noviello's death.

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand also said in a statement that "Canadian consular officials are urgently seeking more information from U.S. officials," said, adding further details will not be provided to respect the family's privacy.

The 49-year-old's death again spotlights alleged ICE mistreatment of migrants in their processing centers. According to ICE data, 7 other individuals have died in its custody this year, while there were 11 such deaths last year.

Migrants who are currently in ICE custody across the country have also reported a myriad of issues and human rights abuses in the processing centers, some of which include food shortages, cramped confinements, freezing temperatures, lack of medical care and an inability to contact lawyers or loved ones.