Another Death in Detention
A man from El Salvador being held at Delaney Hall, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Newark, New Jersey, died this weekend.
Edwin Jovanny Lopez Cornejo’s passing marks the 22nd death of a person in ICE custody in fiscal year 2026, according to agency data. He had been living in the United States for 20 years, was the father of a young U.S.-citizen daughter, and had a valid work permit, according to an interview with his family. During his six-week imprisonment at Delaney Hall, Cornejo, a known diabetic, told his family it was difficult to receive any medication.
Delaney Hall has been the subject of scrutiny over its conditions. ICE has restricted lawmakers’ access to the detention center and recently turned away the New Jersey governor during a hunger strike. The Trump administration has tried to block congressional oversight into other immigration detention centers.
Read more: ICE Doesn’t Want the Public to See What Happens in Its Detention Centers
Here is what ICE had to say on the latest death in detention:
"Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a 41-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador who was detained at Delaney Hall Detention Facility, was pronounced deceased Aug. 1 by medical personnel at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.
When Lopez-Cornejo experienced a medical emergency while in ICE custody, GEO facility staff and medical staff responded immediately and called 911 for emergency medical services. The official cause of death remains pending further medical examination.
U.S Border Patrol arrested Lopez-Cornejo for illegally entering the United States without inspection on or about Aug. 13, 2006. On August 25, 2006, a DOJ immigration judge ordered him removed, and Lopez-Cornejo was removed to El Salvador on October 19, 2006. He illegally reentered the U.S. at a later unknown date. On June 18, 2026, ICE arrested Lopez-Cornejo in Plainfield, New Jersey. He was subsequently detained at Delaney Hall Detention Facility pending removal from the United States pursuant to a reinstatement of his prior removal order.
While in custody, Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals.
Consistent with ICE policy, Enforcement and Removal Operations notified the Department of Homeland Security, the ICE Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility via the Joint Intake Operation Center. The Consulate of El Salvador in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as well as Lopez-Cornejo’s next of kin, were also notified.
ICE makes official notifications to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders and the media upon reports of in-custody deaths and posts news releases with relevant details on its public website. Information is available in the ICE Newsroom and on the Detainee Death Reporting page.
ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout their stay. All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arriving at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained noncitizen denied emergency care."
