NEWARK, N.J. — An illegal alien with a prior deportation order died Saturday after suffering a medical emergency while in federal immigration custody at Delaney Hall Detention Facility, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE identified the deceased as Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a 41-year-old citizen of El Salvador. He was pronounced dead Aug. 1 by medical personnel at University Hospital in Newark after being transported from the detention facility. Federal officials said the official cause of death remains under investigation.
According to ICE, staff at Delaney Hall responded immediately when Lopez-Cornejo experienced the medical emergency, with facility personnel and on-site medical staff providing care before calling 911 for emergency transport.
Federal immigration records show Lopez-Cornejo first entered the United States illegally in August 2006. After his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol, an immigration judge ordered his removal later that month, and he was deported to El Salvador in October 2006. Authorities say he later reentered the country illegally at an unknown date.
ICE agents arrested Lopez-Cornejo in Plainfield on June 18, 2026, and detained him at Delaney Hall pending removal under the reinstatement of his prior deportation order. The agency said he received medical care while in custody and was seen by medical professionals before the emergency that led to his hospitalization.
Governor Mikie Sherrill quickly issued a statement following news of the death, saying she was “deeply disturbed” and that the detainee’s family “deserve answers about what happened.” She also asserted that New Jersey continues to face “obstruction” in its efforts to inspect Delaney Hall and claimed, “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.”
However, the governor’s statement was released before the cause of death had been determined or ICE had disclosed that staff immediately responded to the medical emergency, summoned emergency medical services, and transported Lopez-Cornejo to University Hospital. Despite acknowledging that her administration was still working to “gather all the facts,” Sherrill reiterated her longstanding call to shut down the facility, declaring, “This tragedy is another painful reminder of why Delaney Hall should be closed.”
ICE said it has notified the Department of Homeland Security, the ICE Office of Inspector General, the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, the Salvadoran consulate, and Lopez-Cornejo’s next of kin, consistent with agency policy governing in-custody deaths.
The agency emphasized that all detainees receive medical, dental, and mental health screenings upon arrival, ongoing access to healthcare, and 24-hour emergency medical services. ICE also publicly reports all in-custody deaths to Congress, stakeholders, and the media as part of its transparency policy.
Federal officials have not alleged any misconduct in connection with Lopez-Cornejo’s death, and the official cause will be determined by the medical examiner’s investigation.
