A Canadian man has died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following months of increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement in the United States under President Donald Trump.
Johnny Noviello, a 49-year-old citizen of Canada, was pronounced dead on Monday after being found unresponsive in a federal detention centre, according to an ICE press release.
Noviello, who had been living in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident since 1991, was being held at the ICE Federal Detention Center in Miami pending deportation proceedings.
The federal agency says he was discovered unresponsive just before 1 p.m. and that staff immediately began administering CPR and a defibrillator and calling 911. He was officially declared dead by Miami Fire Rescue at 1:36 p.m.
ICE says the cause of death has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.
The agency says it has notified both the Canadian consulate and the appropriate internal oversight bodies.
According to ICE, Noviello had entered the United States legally on a visa in 1988 and became a lawful permanent resident three years later. He was arrested by ICE on May 15 after serving a sentence for a series of convictions in Florida related to drug trafficking and racketeering. He was awaiting removal proceedings at the time of his death.
Officials say he was detained based on his overstay status and criminal record involving controlled substances.
More details, including an official report, are expected to be released within 90 days, as per U.S. law.
“ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments,” the agency said in its release. It added that people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health screenings and access to 24-hour emergency care.
“At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
