An immigrant held at Delaney Hall in Newark died over the weekend, marking the second death under federal custody at the facility and raising concerns from Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Cory Booker over the safety of the detention center’s operations.
Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a 41 year-old man from El Salvador, was pronounced dead on Aug. 1 by medical personnel at University Hospital in Newark, according to a press release from U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ICE said GEO Group facility staff and medical staff at Delaney Hall responded immediately when Lopez-Cornejo experienced a medical emergency while in ICE custody and contacted 911 for emergency medical services. His official cause of death will be released following further medical examination.
ICE arrested Lopez-Cornejo on June 18 for illegally re-entering the United States (U.S.), following his first arrest by US Border Patrol in August 2006 for entering the U.S. without inspection. He was then detained at Delaney Hall pending removal from the U.S., ICE said.
Delaney Hall has been at the center of protests and labor and hunger strikes by Democratic politicians and activist groups over alleged poor living conditions and medical mistreatment of detainees in federal custody. Booker said Lopez-Cornejo’s death could have been prevented if detainees received proper treatment.
“This is not the first death of a detainee at Delaney Hall, and absent decisive action, it will not be the last,” Booker said in a statement. “I have visited the facility myself and witnessed these conditions firsthand, so I say this plainly: Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and permanently.”
ICE said Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals during his detention. The agency said it is committed to ensuring detainees live in a safe environment and are provided with comprehensive medical care.
“All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arriving at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,” the agency said. “At no time during detention is a detained noncitizen denied emergency care.”
Lopez-Cornejo is the second detainee to die in federal custody at Delaney Hall following the death of Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41 year-old man from Haiti, in December 2025. Brutus died after suffering a medical emergency at the Newark facility, ICE said in a press release.
Maria Cornejo, Lopez-Cornejo’s mother, said she wants justice for her son, granddaughter and “everyone else who has been hunted down like criminals by ICE,” at a press conference on Tuesday. Cornejo called on Sherrill to investigate the living conditions and medical procedures at Delaney Hall.
Sherrill said in a statement that her administration is working to investigate Lopez-Cornejo’s death and ultimately close down the Newark facility to ensure the safety of immigrants in New Jersey.
"My administration is working with our Congressional delegation to gather all the facts surrounding this death. At the same time, we continue to face obstruction in our efforts to conduct a full health inspection of the facility,” Sherrill said. “Every effort to block oversight raises serious questions about what is happening inside Delaney Hall and what those operating the facility are trying to hide.”
While the Trump Administration’s support of this facility creates roadblocks for the investigation, Sherrill said her administration is committed to the justice of detainees held at Delaney Hall and affected families.
"We will continue fighting for transparency, for justice, and for every legal tool available to protect the rights of those being held in the facility,” Sherrill said. “We will not stop until the people of New Jersey get the answers they deserve."
Michela DiLorenzo is the head editor of The Setonian’s News section. She can be reached at michela.dilorenzo@shu.edu.
