Press Contact: media@hispanicfederation.org
NEWARK, NJ — Edwin Jovanny Lopez Cornejo, a 41-year-old Salvadoran father, died Saturday after suffering a medical emergency while detained at the Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center. He is the second person to die after being detained at Delaney Hall in less than a year, following the death of Jean Wilson Brutus in December. Below is a statement from Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation.
The death of Edwin Lopez Cornejo is not an isolated tragedy. It is the second death in less than a year at Delaney Hall: a facility that detainees and their families have described for months as unsafe, unsanitary, and unaccountable. These dire conditions have led to hunger strikes and repeated warnings by elected officials and community leaders. This Administration has seen more than 50 deaths in ICE custody, and Edwin is now tragically among that group.
Every time a tragedy occurs within a detention center, the same pattern unfolds: zero accountability, dismissal, delay, and a refusal to allow meaningful oversight. We warned that allocating more funding to aggressive immigration enforcement without enacting guardrails would result in even more human and civil rights violations while also putting people’s lives and wellbeing at risk. Our warnings were ignored and now we are seeing exacerbated inhumane detention conditions happening on American soil, in our own backyards.
Hispanic Federation calls on Congress to restore and protect its authority to oversee and inspect conditions for Delaney Hall as well as every other ICE facility across the country. We are calling for a guarantee of what should never have been in question – access to timely medical care, legal representation, and policies that recognize the basic human dignity for every person in immigrant detention. Hispanic Federation has been adamant in demanding guardrails and basic protections, and each passing day shows just how essential they are to preserve life, safety, and dignity.
Our hearts are with Edwin’s daughter, mother, and family, and every family worried about their loved ones inside Delaney Hall.”
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About Hispanic Federation
Hispanic Federation (HF) is a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization, founded in 1990, committed to empowering and advancing the Hispanic community, with a focus on low-income, marginalized, and immigrant Latine. With programs in 43 states and territories, HF’s focus areas include immigration, economic empowerment, civic engagement, disaster relief, philanthropy, education, health, and the environment. HF also maintains ongoing public education campaigns and meets the organizational development needs of its member agencies through grant-making and capacity-building assistance.
