Salvadoran Detainee Dies After Reporting Numbness at Controversial Newark ICE Facility

Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a Salvadoran man detained at the privately run Delaney Hall immigration facility in Newark, New Jersey, died after suffering a medical emergency while in federal custody, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement.

What Happened

ICE said Lopez-Cornejo was pronounced dead on Saturday at University Hospital in Newark after facility and medical staff responded and called 911. The agency added that the official cause of death is pending further medical examination.

Family Account

Lopez-Cornejo’s family said he was 39 (ICE listed him as 41) and had chronic medical conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure and epilepsy. According to his mother, Maria Cornejo, he called her the day before he died to report feeling unwell, saying part of his face and one hand had gone numb and that a doctor at Delaney Hall planned to run tests. She said she expected another call on Saturday but instead received a notification from the hospital that her son had experienced a medical emergency and arrived with his heart already stopped.

Family of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo speaks during a news conference in Highland Park, New Jersey, on August 4. - CNN

“This pain. I will never heal from it. This pain is irreparable,” Maria Cornejo said through a translator at a news conference.

The family also alleges Lopez-Cornejo lost roughly 30 pounds in about six weeks at Delaney Hall and was not receiving prescribed medications. They say he was held in an overcrowded cell with about 10 detainees sharing a single open toilet.

ICE And Facility Operator Response

ICE stated that Lopez-Cornejo “experienced a medical emergency while in ICE custody” and that "GEO Group facility staff and medical staff responded immediately and called 911 for emergency medical services." The agency said the family and the Salvadoran consulate were notified and reaffirmed that detainees receive comprehensive medical care while in custody.

The GEO Group, which operates Delaney Hall, referred media inquiries to ICE. State and federal officials have exchanged criticisms about access and oversight of the site.

A protester ties a ribbon bearing a detainee's name to a fence outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, on August 3, days after Salvadoran immigrant Edwin Lopez-Cornejo died in custody there. - Ryan Murphy/Reuters

Calls For Investigation And Broader Reactions

Lopez-Cornejo’s family and advocates are demanding an independent investigation, the release of all medical records, and the closure of Delaney Hall — especially the release of medically vulnerable detainees. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said she was “deeply disturbed” and that her administration is working with the state's congressional delegation to gather facts. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the death a “heartbreaking reminder” of a facility operating without adequate oversight, accountability, or transparency.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) has raised concerns about restrictive and allegedly arbitrary visitation policies that kept Lopez-Cornejo’s daughter and other family members from visiting. The ACLU and others have criticized visitation limits as contributing to inhumane conditions.

Context And Ongoing Disputes

This death follows similar recent incidents at Delaney Hall. In December 2025, Jean Wilson Brutus, a detainee, died within a day of arriving at the facility after a medical emergency. Federal records show more than 50 detainee deaths since President Donald Trump returned to office, and reporting indicates 2025 had more deaths in custody than in at least two decades, with 2026 on track to be higher.

A GEO Group security officer closes a gate outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, on August 3, days after Salvadoran immigrant Edwin Lopez-Cornejo died in custody there. - Ryan Murphy/Reuters

Delaney Hall has faced protests and hunger strikes by detainees, clashes between demonstrators and masked ICE agents, and a lawsuit from New Jersey authorities seeking full inspector access to the site. The state health commissioner, represented by the attorney general's office, filed the suit in June against The GEO Group over longstanding allegations of inhumane conditions; the Department of Homeland Security has deemed that lawsuit “frivolous” and defended the facility's compliance with laws.

Timeline And Background

ICE said Lopez-Cornejo was arrested June 18 in Plainfield, New Jersey, after re-entering the United States following a 2006 deportation. He was detained at Delaney Hall pending removal. His family says he had lived and worked in the US under a work permit for years, including construction work, before the recent arrest.

Lawmakers, civil-rights groups and community advocates have renewed calls for transparency, independent review, and broader reforms in immigration detention following this death. The family continues to press for a thorough, independent investigation and release of medical records to clarify what led to Lopez-Cornejo’s death.

Reporting note: This account combines official statements from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security with detailed accounts from Lopez-Cornejo’s family, local officials, and civil liberties organizations. The official cause of death remains pending further medical review.