Second Death Reported at Delaney Hall

A second person being detained at Delaney Hall in Newark reportedly died on August 1. Now, the ACLU and other advocates are continuing to demand the immigration detention center be shut down. 

Edwin Jovanny Lopez-Cornejo was taken to Newark's University Hospital after having a medical emergency, and he died shortly after arrival on Saturday.

Lopez-Cornejo had previous medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. ICE said he was given “adequate medical care,” but his mother, Maria Cornejo, said in an interview that he was not given his prescribed medications. 

Amol Sinha, Executive Director for the ACLU of New Jersey, said Lopez-Cornejo’s reported lack of medical care is no surprise. 

“ We've known about deplorable conditions at Delaney Hall for years, and we've known about how it's been such a problem, ever since its opening, including lack of access to adequate medical care, inedible food, lack of sanitary conditions, and so many other things that are just simply inhumane,” Sinha said. 

There have been more than 50 reported deaths in ICE Custody nationally since January of 2025, but Sinha said due to ICE’s new reporting policy, there could be more. Under the new policy, ICE no longer has to report deaths that happen within 30 days of somebody being released. 

“What this is is an attempt to cover up the deaths that occur in detention facilities or could have occurred in detention facilities and instead, ICE has chosen to release individuals to hospitals as they are dying,” Sinha said. 

Lopez-Cornejo’s death is the second one reported in the past few weeks at Delaney Hall. His official cause of death will be released after more medical examination.

New Jersey Rep. Rob Menendez said in a press call on Monday, August 3, that he was told another detainee died at University Hospital, but ICE did not report it under the new policy.

“ I have often found that ICE's accounting of many incidents are not accurate,” Menendez said. Menendez said ICE told him they believe Lopez-Cornejo received immediate medical care at the center. 

This comes as calls for Delaney Hall to close continue. The detention center has been the site of protests in recent months, both from advocates and detainees.