Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a Salvadoran national, passed away while detained at Newark's Delaney Hall ICE facility. This represents the third fatality at the site, sparking intense demands for the jail's closure.
The missing medications of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo
Edwin Lopez-Cornejo had been held at the Delaney Hall ICE jail for six weeks before his death on a recent Saturday. According to the report, Lopez-Cornejo suffered from several chronic conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and seizures, all of which required consistent medication. his mother, Maria Cornejo, claims that the facility failed to provide these essential drugs regularly during his detention.
The physical decline of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo was stark; his 12-year-old daughter, Ashley Cornejo, told a rally in Highland Park that her father lost 40 pounds while in custody. She further alleged that her father experienced numbness in his face and hands, and that his hands appeared purple while he was handcuffed, yet his complaints were ignored by staff at the Newark facility.
23 deaths and the 70 lawsuits targeting Delaney Hall
The death of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo is not an isolated incident but part of a wider trend of fatalities in federal custody. As reported, he is at least the 23rd person to die in ICE custody this year, and more than 50 immigrants have died in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office. This surge in deaths has coincided with a wave of legal action, with more than 70 detainees at Delaney Hall filing lawsuits that allege systemic medical neglect.
Democratic congressmember from New Jersey ,Analilia Mejía, has highlighted that the neglect extends beyond basic care to critical needs, including treatment for cancers, pregnancies, and chronic health conditions.. Representative Mejía has argued that the current state of detention means that being undocumented has effectively become a "death sentence" for some individuals.
Gabriela Soto’s campaign against New Jersey’s two ICE facilities
The tragedy has galvanized activists like Gabriela Soto, who is now calling for the closure of both the Delaney Hall jail and the Elizabeth Detention Center in New Jersey.. Soto’s involvement began through her husband, Martín, who was a leader of a hunger strike at Delaney Hall in May before being transferred to the Elizabeth facility. Soto, who attributes a recent miscarriage to the stress of her husband's detention, views the death of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo as another "ICE murder."
This movement recently culminated in a rally in Highland Park, where nearly a hundred people gathered to pray and demand the shutdown of the Newark facility. the protests reflect a growing community consensus that the detention centers are unfit for human habitation, particularly for those with pre-existing medical vulnerabilities.
The contradiction over the University Hospital transport
A significant discrepancy remains regarding the final moments of Edwin Lopez-Cornejo. In an official statement, ICE claimed that the detainee experienced a "medical emergency" on Saturday and was transported to University Hospital in Newark for treatment.
However, Maria Cornejo disputes this account, stating that her son died at the Delaney Hall detention center rather than at the medical facility. she claims that while the hospital did call her, they informed her that Edwin Lopez-Cornejo was already dead upon arrival. It remains unclear why the official ICE narrative differs from the testimony of the family and the reported communication from the hospital.
Comments 0