Salvadoran Man Dies in ICE Custody at New Jersey Facility; Second Death in Eight Months

A Salvadoran man detained at the Delaney Hall immigration facility in New Jersey has died, marking the second detainee death at the facility in less than a year. Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, 41, died on Saturday at a Newark hospital after experiencing a medical emergency at the detention center, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed Monday.

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ICE maintains that everyone in its custody is screened for medical issues within hours of arrival, undergoes a fuller health check within two weeks, and has round-the-clock access to emergency treatment. The agency said Lopez-Cornejo had been properly cared for throughout his detention.

ICE stated that staff from GEO Group, the private contractor operating the facility, and medical personnel responded to Lopez-Cornejo's emergency and transported him to the hospital. An official cause of death has not yet been determined. Records show Lopez-Cornejo was initially detained and deported in 2006, later returning to the U.S. and being detained again in mid-June this year.

Immigration advocates and Lopez-Cornejo's family have voiced concerns about his medical care. His mother, Maria Cornejo, shared in a video posted by advocacy groups that her son had reported feeling unwell and experiencing loss of feeling in his face and hand during a phone call on Friday. Advocates claim he had been denied medication for pre-existing conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, while in detention.

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He told her he was not feeling well and had lost feeling in his face and hand.

Protesters gathered outside Delaney Hall on Monday to hold a vigil for Lopez-Cornejo. ICE maintains that all detainees are medically screened upon arrival and have access to emergency treatment. The agency asserted that Lopez-Cornejo received proper care during his detention.

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In less than a year, yet another family is forced to endure the unimaginable loss of a loved one while in custody at Delaney Hall.

This death follows that of Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, who also died at Delaney Hall in December following a medical emergency. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka condemned the latest death, calling it another "painful moment" for families connected to the facility. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill also condemned the death, labeling it "an unacceptable loss."

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This is an unacceptable loss.