New Jersey Launches Civil Rights Probe Into Newark ICE Detention Center

New Jersey's attorney general has opened a civil rights investigation into the treatment of detainees at Delaney Hall, a privately run immigration detention center in Newark operated by GEO Group. The probe was announced on Friday, just days after a detainee died in custody.

Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, a Salvadoran national, died on Saturday after what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) described as a medical emergency. His family has accused facility operators of failing to provide adequate medical care, saying he suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes, and epilepsy and relied on multiple medications.

His mother, Maria Cornejo, said her son called her the day before his death, telling her he had lost feeling in half his face and arm. Relatives have demanded an independent investigation into his death. ICE maintains that Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical attention and was seen by health professionals.

The state's investigation will examine whether any action or inaction by GEO Group employees violated the civil rights of people detained at the facility, according to the attorney general's office. Subpoenas have been issued as part of the probe.

Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility, has been a flashpoint for protests over complaints of spoiled food, unsanitary bathrooms, faulty ventilation, and inadequate medical care. In May, two local Democratic politicians — U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver and Mayor Ras Baraka — were arrested outside the facility, which they called politically motivated intimidation.

Governor Mikie Sherrill later ordered state police to take control of the area around Delaney Hall after tense confrontations between protesters and federal officers. The facility is among several migrant detention centers facing scrutiny, with more than 50 deaths in ICE custody nationwide since President Donald Trump resumed office in January of last year.