Commonwealth_ The Canadian government has gone out of its way to request an explanation from U.S. authorities after Johnny Noviello, a 49-year-old Canadian citizen, died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. The reaction has been prompt from Canadian authorities, as consular officials work to learn more and have an openness to what transpired.
Noviello was discovered to be unresponsive just before 1:00 p.m., a news release by ICE said, on June 23, 2025, at a Miami Bureau of Prisons detention facility. Medical staff at the detention facility initiated emergency measures, such as CPR and the use of a defibrillator, and emergency services were summoned as well. Regrettably, the Miami Fire Rescue Department declared him dead at 1:36 p.m. We do not yet know the reasons for his death, nor have we released any preliminary findings.
On June 26, the Canadian government officially reported the event, prompting a public statement from Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Authorities revealed that consular authorities are already actively pursuing additional information from their US counterparts. In offering condolences to the Noviello family, the government also guaranteed that no further information will emerge until the investigation is over.
Noviello’s immigration record attests to a prolonged history of stays in the U.S. He initially entered the U.S. on January 2, 1988, on a visa. He was granted lawful permanent resident status in 1991, giving him consent to live and work within the U.S. But in subsequent years, he engaged in legal affairs that led to his most recent detention by immigration authorities. Noviello was convicted in northeast Florida in October of 2023 for racketeering and drug-trafficking offenses. Noviello received a 12-month prison sentence and was kept at a state facility. After serving the sentence, he was taken into custody by ICE on May 15, 2025, at a probation center. ICE charged him with violating U.S. narcotics laws and placed him in custody for pending removal cases.
His death is the eighth documented in ICE custody in 2025, a number that highlights the greater question of what the state of detention centers and emergency medical policy constitutes. Over recent years, multiple government agencies as well as activist groups have decried how ICE treats the health and well-being of detainees, especially vulnerable or at-risk ones.
The Canadian government’s response to the incident shows how much it values the safety of its citizens abroad, especially when detained. Canadian consular officers work closely with overseas counterparts to ensure the delivery of assistance, legal or medical in nature, or of an emergency nature, in foreign affairs involving foreigners outside Canada. In this case, due to its sensitivity and since the immediate cause of death was not established, the two governments have given the issue a lot of attention.
There has been no schedule on when the inquiry is to be finished, yet ICE stated it would keep cooperating with the involved authorities to determine what caused Noviello’s death. Canadian authorities continue to maintain close contact with US authorities to ensure the sharing of a proper and transparent report of the incidents. The Noviello custody death has once more stirred debate about detainee rights and international cooperation in custodial care. To date, the Canadian government and its American counterpart continue to be in the procedural and inquiry option, while the victim’s family members and friends await explanations and closure.
