Federal Detention Center, Miam -Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain Image
Canadian dies in ICE custody as deportation neared amid intensifying U.S. immigration crackdown
A Canadian man has died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a Florida detention center. Johnny Noviello, 49, was found unresponsive in his cell on Sunday at a facility in Miami. Emergency responders were called but were unable to revive him. The cause of death remains under investigation.
Noviello had been a legal resident of the United States since 1988 and became a permanent resident in 1991. His status came under review after a 2023 conviction on racketeering and drug trafficking charges, for which he was sentenced to 12 months in prison. After serving his sentence, he was taken into ICE custody pending deportation proceedings to Canada.
Canadian consular officials have been notified and are seeking more information about the case, but Global Affairs Canada says privacy laws limit further comment. Foreign Minister Anita Anand confirmed that consular assistance is being provided. Noviello’s death is the tenth reported fatality in ICE custody in the current U.S. fiscal year, which began in October 2024.
His case comes amid increasingly aggressive U.S. immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Executive orders issued earlier this year have intensified deportation efforts, while White House advisor Stephen Miller has reportedly directed ICE to increase daily arrest quotas to 3,000. President Donald Trump has publicly called for what he describes as the largest mass deportation campaign in American history.
These enforcement policies have triggered protests across the country. In Los Angeles, demonstrators clashed with federal authorities after Trump deployed military personnel to the city, drawing sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom. Civil liberties groups and immigrant advocates continue to raise concerns about detention conditions and due process.
Other Canadian citizens have also been swept up in the recent crackdown. In a separate case, British Columbia resident Jasmine Mooney was detained for nearly two weeks after attempting to renew her U.S. work visa. Although she was later released and returned to Canada, Mooney described her experience as traumatic and said she received little information during her confinement.
Noviello’s death adds to mounting scrutiny of ICE’s detention practices and the health and safety of individuals in custody. Rights groups have long raised alarms about inadequate medical care, lack of oversight, and the broader human toll of rapid enforcement measures. ICE is required to publicly report all detainee deaths and has confirmed that an internal review is underway.
As the investigation unfolds, attention is likely to focus on both the circumstances of Noviello’s death and the wider implications of the U.S. immigration system’s handling of vulnerable detainees. The case is expected to fuel continued debate in both Canada and the United States over immigration policy, human rights, and government accountability.
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