Canadian consular officials are pressing for more information from the United States government after a Canadian citizen died while in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a Florida detention center this week.
Johnny Noviello, a 49-year-old lawful permanent resident of the US, was being detained at the Federal Detention Center in Miami while facing deportation over a 2023 conviction for racketeering and drug trafficking, according to ICE.
He was found unresponsive and pronounced dead by the Miami Fire Rescue Department Monday afternoon, according to ICE. The cause of his death is still under investigation, the agency said.
“Medical staff responded immediately and began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator shock and called 911,” ICE said.
CNN has reached out to the Miami Fire Rescue Department for additional information.
Noviello was arrested by ICE at a probation office on May 15 and issued a notice to appear for removal proceedings, “having been convicted of a violation of any law or regulation … relating to a controlled substance,” ICE said in a news release.
The arrest came amid the Trump administration’s expanding deportation campaign that has spotlighted the capture of immigrants convicted of crimes.
The Canadian government was notified of Noviello’s death on Thursday, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand said in a statement. “Canadian consular officials are urgently seeking more information from US officials,” the statement said, adding further details will not be provided to respect the family’s privacy.
Global Affairs Canada said consular officials are in contact with US authorities to gather more information about Noviello’s death.
Noviello became a lawful permanent US resident in October 24, 1991, after entering the US in January 1988 with a legal visa, ICE said.
He was convicted in Volusia County, Florida, in October 2023 for racketeering, trafficking Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, and sentenced to 12 months in county jail, court records show.
Noviello only served around 125 days of his sentence with credits for good behavior and time served, said Daniel Leising, an attorney who represented Noviello in the criminal case. The attorney added the last he’d heard from Noviello was in February when a judge granted him community service.
ICE in its statement noted that detained migrants have access to 24-hour emergency care while in custody and said it’s “committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments.”
The agency has reported seven in-custody deaths in 2025 as of May 5, according to ICE’s website.
