A 41-year-old Salvadoran national, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, died on August 1 while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. His death followed a medical emergency, according to an ICE statement.
Staff from the GEO Group, the private company managing Delaney Hall, and medical personnel responded to the emergency and contacted 911. The official cause of Lopez-Cornejo's death is pending a medical examination. ICE stated that he received appropriate medical care during his detention and that relevant oversight offices, the Consulate of El Salvador, and his next of kin were notified.
Lopez-Cornejo had a history of illegal entry and deportation. He was first apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in August 2006 for entering the U.S. without inspection. An immigration judge ordered his removal, and he was deported to El Salvador in October 2006. He subsequently re-entered the U.S. illegally at an unstated date before being arrested by ICE in Plainfield, New Jersey, on June 18. He was held at Delaney Hall pending the reinstatement of his prior removal order.
News of Lopez-Cornejo's death has intensified criticism of Delaney Hall from New Jersey officials. Gov. Mikie Sherrill expressed deep concern, stating, "My heart is with the individual's loved ones, who deserve answers about what happened. My administration is working with our congressional delegation to gather all the facts surrounding this death." Sherrill reiterated her stance that "Delaney Hall should be closed."
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka also condemned the incident, calling it "a heartbreaking reminder of the consequences of a facility that has operated for far too long without adequate oversight, accountability or transparency." He noted that this is the second detainee death at Delaney Hall in less than a year.
Jean Wilson Brutus, another detainee, died at the facility on December 12, 2025, after suffering a medical emergency less than 24 hours after his arrival. The facility has faced accusations from state and local inspectors of hindering health and safety inspections, and it has been the site of protests and detainee hunger strikes related to concerns about food quality, overcrowding, and medical care.