Salvadoran National Dies in ICE Custody at New Jersey Detention Facility

A 41-year-old Salvadoran national died in federal custody Monday after authorities say he suffered a medical emergency while detained at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey. Edwin Lopez-Cornejo was pronounced dead Aug. 1 at University Hospital in Newark, according to a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The cause of death remains pending completion of a formal medical examination.

Lopez-Cornejo had been arrested in Plainfield, New Jersey, on June 18 following his illegal re-entry into the United States. He had been previously deported to El Salvador on Oct. 19, 2006, after being apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol on or about Aug. 13, 2006, for entering the country without inspection. A Department of Justice immigration judge had ordered his removal on Aug. 25, 2006.

Staff members from the GEO Group, the private company operating the detention facility, along with medical personnel responded to the medical emergency and contacted emergency services. ICE officials stated that Lopez-Cornejo received appropriate medical care during his detention at the facility.

The death prompted immediate criticism from New Jersey officials, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who called for the closure of Delaney Hall. “This tragedy is another painful reminder of why Delaney Hall should be closed,” Sherrill said in a statement. She indicated her administration was working with congressional representatives to gather information about the incident.

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka also issued a statement condemning the death, describing it as a “heartbreaking reminder of the consequences of a facility that has operated for far too long without adequate oversight, accountability or transparency.” The death marks the second detainee fatality at the facility in recent months, following the Dec. 12, 2025, death of Jean Wilson Brutus, 41.

Delaney Hall has faced repeated accusations from state and local inspectors of obstructing health and safety inspections. The facility has been the focus of ongoing protests and detainee hunger strikes over concerns regarding food quality, overcrowding, and medical care. ICE notified the Department of Homeland Security oversight offices, the Consulate of El Salvador in Elizabeth, and Lopez-Cornejo’s family members of his death.