Detainee Dies at New Jersey Immigration Detention Center

An immigration detainee, Edwin Jeovanny Lopez Cornejo, died on August 2, 2026, after being transported from the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey. According to family members, Lopez Cornejo reported numbness in his face and hand on August 1 and was pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital.

Lopez Cornejo had lived in the United States for 20 years and reportedly held a valid work permit before being detained by immigration authorities on June 18. This incident is the second death recorded at the facility since it opened in May 2025. Family members and advocates attribute the death to the treatment provided by immigration authorities.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the GEO Group have not yet publicly confirmed the death. Delaney Hall has faced daily protests and a lawsuit from the Government of New Jersey regarding alleged poor living conditions and medical neglect, specifically citing instances where health inspectors were barred from critical areas of the center.