US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the death of a Salvadoran migrant at a detention center in New Jersey. Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, 41, died at a hospital in Newark after suffering a medical emergency at the Delaney Hall facility on Saturday, August 2.
In a statement on Monday, ICE said that GEO Group staff who operate the facility and medical teams responded and transported Lopez-Cornejo to the hospital. Officials have not yet determined the official cause of death.
Lopez-Cornejo was reported to have diabetes, high blood pressure, and seizures. Migrant advocates and his family claimed that he was denied his medications while in custody. His mother, Maria Cornejo, said she spoke with her son on Friday and he told her he was not feeling well and had lost sensation in his face and hand.
ICE records show that Lopez-Cornejo was deported in 2006 after entering the US illegally. He later returned to the country, and in mid-June of this year, he was recaptured by agents in Plainfield, New Jersey, and taken into custody at Delaney Hall under an order reinstating his previous deportation case. His family said he was the father of a 12-year-old daughter.
ICE maintained that all detainees undergo a medical screening within hours of arrival, a more comprehensive health check within two weeks, and have 24/7 access to emergency care. The agency stated that Lopez-Cornejo received appropriate care throughout his detention.
Lopez-Cornejo's death occurred eight months after another fatality at the same facility in December 2025. Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, also died at the same center following a medical emergency.
After news of the death spread, protesters gathered in front of Delaney Hall on Monday to hold a memorial for Lopez-Cornejo.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka described the death as “another painful moment for families connected to Delaney Hall.” New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill also condemned the death, saying, “This is another painful reminder of why Delaney Hall must be shut down.” Sherrill said her administration, together with the state’s congressional delegation, is working “to gather all the facts regarding the death.”
Rep. Rob Menendez of New Jersey said the death adds to a pattern of concern about conditions at the facility, stating, “We keep hearing about the medical conditions at Delaney Hall. We keep hearing about inadequate care... That’s why we keep coming back.” Menendez added that ICE and its contractors must be held accountable.
Delaney Hall was reopened last year under President Donald Trump’s policy of expanding immigrant detention.
