Protesters gathered at the gates of Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, Monday following the death of an ICE detainee.
Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, 41, died Saturday after suffering a medical emergency in ICE custody.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the death in a statement.
“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,” the DHS statement said, in part. “While in custody, Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals.”
DHS said Lopez-Cornejo was arrested for illegally entering the U.S. in 2006 and was subsequently removed, only to illegally re-enter the U.S. at a later date. ICE said he was arrested on July 18 in Plainfield, New Jersey.
Earlier this year, tensions peaked as protesters and ICE agents clashed outside Delaney Hall for weeks over the alleged conditions inside. Monday’s protest in memory of Lopez-Cornejo remained peaceful.
CBS News New York
Outside Delaney Hall Monday night, protesters spoke out.
“You know what you’re doing is wrong,” one person said.
Others prayed for justice as emotions ran high. Tears flowed.
“We’re reaching out to God. Why is this happening? And we don’t know what to do,” one person said.
“When we heard from the family of Edwin, they had not even realized that he was dead, until the hospital called them and hours had passed by,” one person said.
The protesters carried posters with Lopez-Cornejo’s name, and banners demanding the facility be shut down. As a vigil for the deceased grew, some messages called for abolishing ICE.
CBS News New York
Black ribbons were tied to the fence. Protesters said each ribbon represented an inmate death in ICE custody. A speaker reiterated calls for Delaney Hall to be shut down.
“This is a nonviolent act. But it’s an act of defiance,” one person said.
“We refuse to have our neighbors stolen from us. We will speak their names. We will remember them,” one person said at the protest.