Canadian Citizen Dies in ICE Custody — Family Demands Answers Amid Federal Investigation

UPDATED—Miami, Fla., June 27, 2025— A 49-year-old Canadian citizen, Johnny Noviello, has died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami, sparking urgent calls for answers from Ottawa and renewed scrutiny of death rates inside America’s immigration detention system. Who was Johnny Noviello? • Born in Ontario, Noviello immigrated to the United States as a child and became a lawful permanent resident in 1991, according to relatives quoted by U.S. media reports. • ICE detained him in April after a 2007 drug-related conviction triggered removal proceedings. Court filings show he had been fighting deportation to Canada. Timeline of the incident • 12:52 p.m. ET, June 23: correctional officers found Noviello “unresponsive and not breathing” in his cell, ICE said in a press release. • Staff initiated CPR and called Miami Fire Rescue; he was pronounced dead at 1:29 p.m. • The agency said no suicide note was recovered and an autopsy is underway with the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner. Canadian government reaction Global Affairs Canada confirmed it is “urgently seeking additional information from U.S. authorities” and is providing consular assistance to Noviello’s family. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told reporters in Ottawa that Canada expects a “full, transparent investigation.” Advocates demand oversight Human-rights groups say Noviello is at least the eighth person to die in ICE custody this calendar year, and the 11th since the start of the current fiscal reporting period in October 2024. • The American Civil Liberties Union called for independent monitoring of the 200-plus ICE facilities nationwide, arguing that “persistent medical neglect and mental-health lapses are costing lives.” • Toronto-based group No One Is Illegal urged the Canadian government to suspend transfers of its citizens to U.S. detention centers until safety is guaranteed. ICE death statistics and policy backdrop • ICE recorded 17 in-custody deaths in fiscal year 2024, up from 10 the year before. • The agency detains roughly 36,000 people daily; critics say funding has increased while legal representation and medical staffing lag. • In 2020 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general found “serious violations” of detention standards at multiple facilities, including inadequate suicide prevention measures. What happens next • The Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility have opened parallel investigations. • Results of Noviello’s autopsy are expected within six weeks; if foul play or negligence is identified, findings will be referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. • Canadian consular officials are scheduled to tour the Miami facility early next week. Why this matters The Noviello case underscores growing bilateral tensions over immigration enforcement and raises fresh questions about detainee health care in U.S. custody. With Canada pressing for answers and advocates mobilizing on both sides of the border, ICE will face intensified public and legal scrutiny in the weeks ahead.