A 41-year-old Salvadoran man has died at an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, that has faced months of protests over living conditions and medical care, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, who was arrested on June 18 and held at Delaney Hall, died on Saturday, the agency said. ICE stated that he received proper medical attention while in custody, but an official cause of death will only be released after further examination.
The death has intensified scrutiny of the 1,000-bed facility, which is operated by the private contractor GEO Group. It is the second fatality at Delaney Hall since President Donald Trump began his second term, following the December death of Jean Wilson Brutus, a Haitian national who collapsed and was later ruled to have died of natural causes due to a lung blockage.
Lawmakers and advocates demand closure
Democratic Senator Cory Booker, who has visited the facility, said in a statement: “This is not the first death of a detainee at Delaney Hall and absent decisive action, it will not be the last. I have visited the facility myself and witnessed these conditions firsthand, so I say this plainly: Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and permanently.”
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, also a Democrat, said her administration is trying to understand the circumstances of Lopez-Cornejo’s death but faces obstacles. “Every effort to block oversight raises serious questions about what is happening inside Delaney Hall and what those operating the facility are trying to hide,” she said.
Advocacy groups, including Cosecha, have documented complaints from detainees about denied medication and poor living conditions. Earlier this year, some detainees launched a hunger strike, which ICE and the Trump administration have denied.
The facility has become a flashpoint for protests against the administration’s immigration crackdown, with demonstrators attempting to block vehicles from entering or leaving. The death of Lopez-Cornejo is the second of a Salvadoran national in ICE custody during Trump’s second term; in September, Norlan Guzman-Fuentes was killed in a sniper attack on an ICE field office in Dallas.
According to Associated Press tracking, at least 56 people have died in ICE custody during the current administration. The repeated fatalities have raised broader questions about the standards of care in privately run detention centers across the United States.
GEO Group did not respond to requests for comment. The company operates numerous detention facilities nationwide and has faced criticism from human rights organizations for its practices.
The case echoes concerns seen in Europe, where immigration detention practices have also come under scrutiny. In the European Union, debates over migrant treatment and detention conditions have been central to policy discussions, particularly in countries like Greece and Italy. The situation at Delaney Hall serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in managing migration and the importance of upholding humane standards, a principle that resonates across the Atlantic.
