An illegal immigrant being held at a New Jersey ICE facility has died, according to federal officials. Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a 41-year-old migrant from El Salvador, was pronounced dead on Saturday by medical workers at University Hospital in Newark.

Background

Lopez-Cornejo was being held at the Delaney Hall detention center, a privately owned facility that has been the focus of controversy over allegations of inhumane conditions for detainees. The facility was the site of days-long protests earlier this year, with clashes between law enforcement and protesters prompting the city’s mayor to enact a temporary curfew.

According to ICE, Lopez-Cornejo experienced a medical emergency while in custody, and facility staff and medical staff responded immediately and called 911 for emergency medical services. The official cause of death remains pending further medical examination.

Reaction

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she was ‘deeply disturbed’ to hear of Lopez-Cornejo’s death and called for answers about what happened. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka denounced the latest death as ‘a heartbreaking reminder of the consequences of a facility that has operated for far too long without adequate oversight, accountability, or transparency.’

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey expressed its condolences for the loss and demanded ‘accountability from ICE, the immediate closure of Delaney Hall, and an end to immigration detention once and for all.’

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.