A 49-year-old Canadian citizen died last Sunday while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a federal detention center in Miami.
Johnny Noviello was found unresponsive on June 23 at 12:54 p.m. in the Federal Detention Center in Miami, where he was being held pending deportation, according to a official statement from ICE.
The medical staff at the center began resuscitation maneuvers and used an automatic defibrillator while requesting assistance from emergency services.
However, he was declared dead by Miami Fire Rescue rescuers at 1:36 p.m., the note indicated.
U.S. authorities reported that the cause of death is still under investigation. Noviello legally entered the United States in 1988 and obtained permanent residency in 1991.
He was sentenced in October 2023 on several charges related to drug trafficking in Volusia County, Florida, including Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, and served a 12-month prison sentence.
On May 15, 2025, ICE arrested him at a probation office of the Florida Department of Corrections and notified him of his deportation proceedings, deeming him inadmissible for violating laws related to controlled substances.
According to ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Inspector General, and the Professional Accountability Office of the agency, as well as the Canadian consulate, were notified of the death.
ICE stated in its announcement that, in accordance with current policy, it will publish a detailed report on the case within the next 90 days, as required by the budgetary provisions of the U.S. Congress.
According to the agency EFE, the death of Johnny Noviello takes place amid growing concern about the conditions in immigration detention centers in the United States.
So far in 2025, at least seven people have died in ICE custody, including Mexicans Jesús Molina Veya and Alberto Avellaneda Delgado, both in the state of Georgia.
EFE also pointed out reports of extreme overcrowding in the facility where Noviello was found, with accounts of detainees sleeping while standing or on contaminated water.
Additionally, the agency highlighted that Florida's Attorney General, James Uthmeier, recently announced the creation of a detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”, located in an abandoned airport surrounded by alligators and pythons, while Miami-Dade County will vote on an agreement that expands local jails' collaboration with ICE.
Recently, the state of Florida announced its intention to allocate 20 million dollars to Miami-Dade and Collier counties for the purchase of an old airport in the heart of the Everglades, as part of its plan to establish an immigrant detention center in a remote area.
Frequently asked questions about deaths in ICE custody in the United States
How many people have died in ICE custody in 2025?
In 2025, at least seven people have died in ICE custody, including the Canadian Johnny Noviello in Miami. These incidents have raised concerns about the conditions in migration detention centers in the United States.
What are the most common causes of death in ICE detention centers?
The causes of death in ICE facilities vary, but untreated medical conditions and medical negligence have been reported as contributing factors. In the case of Johnny Noviello, the cause of his death is still under investigation. Other cases have involved health complications that were not managed properly.
What criticisms do ICE detention centers in Florida face?
ICE detention centers in Florida have been criticized for inhumane conditions, such as overcrowding and inadequate medical care. Reports have indicated that detainees must sleep standing up or in unsanitary conditions, and that emergency medical care is lacking.
How is ICE responding to concerns about deaths in its custody?
ICE has declared that it will publish a detailed report on each death under its custody within the next 90 days, as required by the budget provisions of the U.S. Congress. However, organizations and lawmakers continue to demand urgent improvements in the conditions of detention centers.
Filed under:
