By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) – The family of a man from El Salvador, who died in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in New Jersey, alleged medical negligence during his custody and demanded an independent investigation into his death.
ICE said on Monday that Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, who was being held at the Delaney Hall detention facility, was pronounced dead on Saturday by medical personnel at University Hospital, in Newark, New Jersey, after suffering what the agency described as a medical emergency.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Lopez-Cornejo’s family said he suffered from a number of underlying health conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes and epilepsy, and relied on several medications to keep those conditions under control.
His mother, Maria Cornejo, said he called a day before his death and told her he lost feeling in half his face and arm.
“My son needed medical attention, and he did not receive it,” his mother said in Spanish. His 12-year-old daughter also alleged he was denied medications and that he had lost a lot of weight in custody.
Lopez-Cornejo’s death comes amid broader scrutiny of conditions in U.S. immigration detention facilities. More than 50 people have died in ICE custody nationwide since President Donald Trump took office in January last year, while rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about medical care and living conditions at the facilities.
ICE said Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals.
“When Lopez-Cornejo experienced a medical emergency while in ICE custody, GEO facility staff and medical staff responded immediately and called 911 for emergency medical services. The official cause of death remains pending further medical examination,” ICE said in a statement on Monday.
The agency reiterated that statement when asked for comment on the remarks by Lopez-Cornejo’s family.
INSPECTION
While the family demanded an independent investigation into the death, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said her administration continues to “face obstruction in our efforts to conduct a full health inspection of the facility.”
ICE has dismissed reports of poor conditions and maintained that it takes seriously the safety and health of detainees.
ICE has been at the center of Trump’s immigration crackdown and deportation drive that rights groups condemn as violating free speech and due process rights.
Human rights advocates also say the crackdown has created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities who have raised concerns about racial profiling.
Trump says his actions aim to improve domestic security.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
