Johnny Noviello, a 49-year-old lawful permanent resident of the United States, died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Federal Detention Center in Miami. His death occurred while he was in custody pending deportation proceedings. This latest episode has stirred up serious ire among Canadian officials, who are now demanding more information from U.S. enforcement.
Had she gotten a conviction in October 2023, Noviello would have likely faced deportation. He had been convicted of engaging in a racketeering enterprise through drug trafficking—in his case specifically for distributing Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. However, the courts in Volusia County, Florida—where his crime would play out—sentenced him to 12 months in county jail. In actuality, he has already served close to 125 days, with credits for good behavior and time already served.
On May 15, 2025, ICE arrested Noviello at a local probation office. After that, he was served with a notice to appear in removal proceedings. The basis for these proceedings stemmed from his conviction for “having been convicted of a violation of any law or regulation … relating to a controlled substance,” as stated by ICE.
I first came to the U.S. legally in January 1988. He obtained his lawful permanent residency status on October 24, 1991. His recent detention and the circumstances of his tragic death have gone on to raise alarm with the Canadian government. They learned of the crash on Thursday.
Anita Anand, a Canadian official, confirmed that “Canadian consular officials are urgently seeking more information from U.S. officials” regarding the circumstances surrounding Noviello’s death. This incident is one of seven reported in-custody deaths under ICE this year as of May 5.
In an account of the incident, ICE claimed that medical staff “immediately responded” during Noviello’s medical emergency. They began CPR and deployed an automated external defibrillator (AED) prior to calling 911.
The agency has stated it is “committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments.” The situation that led to Noviello’s death is still unexplained. Fortunately, Canadian officials are investigating, and their inquiry will hopefully shed more light on what happened and help ensure it never occurs again.
