Canadian who died in ICE custody lived a 'easy life,' his lawyer says

[ad_1] 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 demise is unknown and is beneath investigation, says an ICE information launch.

In 2023, Noviello was convicted of a variety of offences — together with racketeering and drug trafficking — and had been sentenced to 12 months in jail, in line with the ICE launch.

However Leising says Noviello by no means really 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 in opposition to Noviello as "very, very critical." He stated Noviello had labored as a cashier and did some janitorial work, and had no prior prison report.

"Is he violent or anyone that you simply'd be afraid of in the event you walked by them on the road? Completely not," stated Leising.

Leising says he stayed involved with Noviello's household throughout his detention and after his demise. The household as soon as referred to as Leising after they had been unable to get involved with Noviello throughout his detention.

He stated the household was involved about Noviello getting the remedy required to deal with his epilepsy. Leising stated he has no data of Noviello's entry to that medication 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 stated.

In an interview with CBC's Energy & Politics, Overseas Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated consular officers had been in contact with Noviello as quickly as they heard of his detention.

"At this level we're additionally in search of further data referring to the circumstances of his passing away, and I might like to increase my condolences to his household," she stated.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra posted a press release on social media saying his workforce is following the investigation into Noviello's demise.

"We'll preserve the Canadian authorities knowledgeable as ICE completes its investigation," he wrote in a publish on X.

ICE crackdown Noviello's demise comes as ICE brokers are making sweeping arrests throughout the USA.

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 goal for at the very 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 prison historical past signifies that he meets Trump's profile for precedence removing.

He says the president's concentrate on deporting criminals and "mass detention" comes with "nice danger" to these in custody.

"You don't benefit from the luxurious of remoted cells," stated 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. because the ICE sweeps started.

International Affairs Canada informed CBC Information in a press release that it's conscious of "a number of dozen instances of Canadians at present 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:

U.S. immigration lawyer Len Saunders, who represents Mooney, says he was shocked to listen to of Noviello's demise.

"You do not see lots of Canadians in immigration detention in the USA," he stated.

Saunders says the detention system is advanced — detainees cannot simply say they need to be despatched dwelling.

"They must undergo the formal deportation proceedings, they must see an immigration choose," he stated.

Saunders says when Mooney was detained, considered one of her mates needed to understand how to hurry up the method. His response was to go to the information.

"That is the one motive I believe Jasmine Mooney was launched so shortly," he stated.

Within the case of Noviello, Kurland says there's nothing Canada may have performed to forestall his demise.

However he says Canada should attempt to negotiate an general cope with the U.S. in the case of the detention and deportation of its residents — as a result of the numbers of Canadians held by ICE will solely develop.