The Canadian man who died whereas in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this week was a “very well mannered, quiet, unassuming man with a quite simple life” who didn’t pose a hazard to anybody, says the lawyer who represented him.
Dan Leising represented Johnny Noviello, 49, who died in a detention centre in Florida on Monday. The reason for loss of life is unknown and is beneath investigation, says an ICE information launch.
In 2023, Noviello was convicted of various offences — together with racketeering and drug trafficking — and had been sentenced to 12 months in jail, in keeping with the ICE launch.
However Leising says Noviello by no means truly went to state jail. Being sentenced to 364 days, he served time in county jail and was out on probation when he was arrested by ICE in Might.
Leising says Noviello had not violated the phrases of his probation.
Leising described the costs towards Noviello as “very, very critical.” He mentioned Noviello had labored as a cashier and did some janitorial work, and had no prior legal document.
“Is he violent or anyone that you simply’d be afraid of in case you walked by them on the road? Completely not,” mentioned Leising.
Leising says he stayed involved with Noviello’s household throughout his detention and after his loss of life. The household as soon as known as Leising after they have been unable to get involved with Noviello throughout his detention.
He mentioned the household was involved about Noviello getting the medicine required to deal with his epilepsy. Leising mentioned he has no data of Noviello’s entry to that drugs whereas in detention.
Investigation underway
Regardless of having Canadian citizenship, Noviello had been within the U.S. since 1988 and have become a lawful everlasting resident in 1991, the discharge says.
Noviello was being detained by ICE “pending removing proceedings,” the company’s information launch mentioned.
In an interview with CBC’s Energy & PoliticsInternational Affairs Minister Anita Anand mentioned consular officers had been in contact with Noviello as quickly as they heard of his detention.
“At this level we’re additionally searching for extra info regarding the circumstances of his passing away, and I might like to increase my condolences to his household,” she mentioned.
My crew is following the loss of life of a Canadian citizen whereas in @ICEgov custody. We are going to hold the Canadian authorities knowledgeable as ICE completes its investigation. I belief in ICE’s dedication to transparency and to offering a protected atmosphere for all people in its care.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra posted an announcement on social media saying his crew is following the investigation into Noviello’s loss of life.
“We are going to hold the Canadian authorities knowledgeable as ICE completes its investigation,” he wrote in a publish on X.
ICE crackdown
Noviello’s loss of life comes as ICE brokers are making sweeping arrests throughout america.
Stephen Miller, White Home deputy chief of employees and the principle architect of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration insurance policies, has pushed ICE to intention for at the least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day through the first 5 months of Trump’s second time period.
Lawyer and coverage analyst Richard Kurland says Noviello’s legal historical past signifies that he meets Trump’s profile for precedence removing.
He says the president’s deal with deporting criminals and “mass detention” comes with “nice danger” to these in custody.
“You don’t benefit from the luxurious of remoted cells,” mentioned Kurland. “You are going to have bodily interactions between detainees.”
Different Canadians detained
Noviello is not the one Canadian to have been arrested within the U.S. for the reason that ICE sweeps started.
World Affairs Canada advised CBC Information in an announcement that it’s conscious of “a number of dozen circumstances of Canadians presently in immigration-related detention within the U.S.”
One Canadian, Jasmine Mooney from B.C., was arrested and held for almost two weeks after making an attempt to get a piece visa renewed. She was launched and returned to Canada in mid-March.
WATCH | Canadian describes ICE detention:
‘That place breaks you’: Canadian lady describes 11 days in ICE custody
Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney tells CBC Information about her 11-day ordeal in ICE detention after making an attempt to enter the U.S. to resume her work visa. Mooney describes what she noticed as ‘disgusting,’ saying of her detention cell: ‘That place breaks you.’
U.S. immigration lawyer Len Saunders, who represents Mooney, says he was shocked to listen to of Noviello’s loss of life.
“You do not see quite a lot of Canadians in immigration detention in america,” he mentioned.
Saunders says the detention system is complicated — detainees cannot simply say they need to be despatched dwelling.
“They should undergo the formal deportation proceedings, they should see an immigration choose,” he mentioned.
Saunders says when Mooney was detained, one in all her buddies wished to understand how to hurry up the method. His response was to go to the information.
“That is the one cause I believe Jasmine Mooney was launched so rapidly,” he mentioned.
Within the case of Noviello, Kurland says there’s nothing Canada might have achieved to forestall his loss of life.
However he says Canada should attempt to negotiate an general take care of the U.S. on the subject of the detention and deportation of its residents — as a result of the numbers of Canadians held by ICE will solely develop.
“We have to act now to create a particular protocol only for Canadian detainees,” he mentioned. “That may relieve lots of people in a foul scenario.”
