Habeas Petition Cited Medical Concerns Days Before ICE Detainee Edwin Lopez-Cornejo Died

Attorneys filed a habeas petition on July 24 on behalf of 39-year-old Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a Salvadoran national who was detained at Delaney Hall in Newark. Lopez-Cornejo was pronounced dead after a reported "medical emergency" on Saturday, and the federal filing raised concerns about his medical needs and a proposed transfer to another facility.

Legal Request and Medical Concerns

In the petition submitted by attorney Ingrid Echeverria, the judge was asked to require the Department of Homeland Security to explain the basis for Lopez-Cornejo’s detention and to block any transfer. At minimum, the filing requested advance written notice of any transfer, identification of the receiving facility, and assurances that his medications would accompany him and be administered without interruption.

Ryan Murphy/Reuters - PHOTO: Protesters hold a vigil outside Delaney Hall for a detained Salvadoran immigrant who was pronounced dead

"If not, he at least asks that Respondents be required to give advance written notice before any transfer, identify the receiving facility, and ensure that his medications accompany him and are administered without interruption," the petition stated.

Medications And Health Issues

The habeas petition lists several medications Lopez-Cornejo was taking that require strict scheduling, including treatments for epilepsy and high blood pressure, among other conditions. The filing does not allege that he was denied medication while in custody.

Family Allegations And Official Response

Family members say Lopez-Cornejo complained of numbness in his face and arm the day before he died and have publicly alleged medical neglect. In response, ICE told lawmakers that staff at Delaney Hall "responded immediately," called 911 during the medical emergency, and transported him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The agency said the official cause of death is pending further medical examination.

Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo - PHOTO: APTOPIX ICE Detention Death

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told NewsNation in an interview that Lopez-Cornejo died of cardiac arrest, but ICE maintains the cause is subject to official medical review.

Background And Advocacy

ICE said Lopez-Cornejo was taken into custody on June 18 in Plainfield, New Jersey, and was detained "pending removal from the United States pursuant to a reinstatement of his prior removal order." According to ICE records referenced in the court filing, he first entered the U.S. illegally in August 2006, was deported a few months later, re-entered in 2007, and later applied for asylum. Exhibits attached to the habeas petition indicate he held a work permit that expired in 2025 and that a renewal request was pending as of June 2025.

Friends, colleagues and at least one former employer sent letters to the court asking for his release prior to his death. One employer, writing exactly one month before Lopez-Cornejo died, described him as "always kind, smiling, well mannered, and always in a good mood," and praised his work ethic.

Next Steps

Family members and counsel are seeking details about the timing and nature of medical care Lopez-Cornejo received while in custody, including whether an ambulance should have been summoned sooner. The habeas petition and the notices to lawmakers have become focal points in ongoing inquiries into the circumstances that led to his death.