An immigrant died in a “tragic, emergency experience” because Delaney Hall is not equipped to treat individuals with serious chronic disease, according to Rep. LaMonica McIver.

Edwin Jeovanny Lopez-Cornejo, who was detained at Delaney Hall in Newark, suffered a medical emergency on Aug. 1 and died at University Hospital.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a press release, said “while in custody, Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals.” A native of El Salvador, he was 41, according to ICE, while his family said he was 39.

He was detained on June 18 and “at no point during detention is a detained noncitizen denied emergency care,” ICE said. He was the second person in detention at Delaney to have died since December.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill called for the detention center’s closing. McIver (D-10th), a prominent critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, echoed Sherrill.

“Delaney Hall is not adequate enough to be giving medical treatment to folks who have chronic diseases at this center,” McIver told NJ Spotlight News. “And because of such, he suffered this tragic, emergency experience that ended up with him losing his life.”

Need for medication

Republicans including Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd) have disputed allegations of poor care and conditions, saying the facility adheres to the proper standards. The people being held tell a different story.

“We have personally experienced not being able to talk to a doctor, and we have spoken to the team there in the medical office who literally could not answer questions for us,” McIver said.

She and a House colleague from New Jersey, fellow Democrat Rob Menendez, “have gone many times and spoken to detainees who told us that they have not been given adequate medical care,” she said.

Lopez-Cornejo’s mother, Maria Cornejo, told the immigrant advocacy group Movimiento Cosecha that her son was prescribed medication for diabetes, high blood pressure and seizures. She believed that he was denied access to his medications, she said.

“Delaney Hall needs to be closed. It is a detention center of cruelty and chaos,” McIver said. “And we continue to see examples of this with another death there.”

Legal case

McIver faces federal assault charges from a scrum outside Delaney Hall in May 2025. If convicted, McIver faces as much as 17 years in federal prison.

In June, McIver and her attorneys sought to have the charges dismissed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The case is pending.

“These charges are bogus,” McIver said. “They are honestly just political intimidation and prosecution.”

The charges have not dissuaded her from serving constituents and continuing oversight of detention facilities, she said.

“This is what happens when you stand up to this administration, hold them accountable,” she said. “And protect the people that I have been elected to protect, which I do not apologize for.”