[REVISION HISTORY]

US ICE detention medical neglect

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-13 03:55 UTC → 2026-08-13 23:02 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In August 2026, Edwin Lopez‑Cornejo, a Salvadoran man detained at the privately‑run Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, died after a medical emergency. His family alleges he was denied essential medication for diabetes, hypertension, and epilepsy, stating, “ICE should be responsible, because when he was detained, he was treated horribly.” ICE officials maintain he received appropriate care. This incident has been linked to the 2022 death of Nenko Gantchev, a detainee who died of a heart attack at another GEO Group‑operated ICE prison in Michigan. Both cases have revived scrutiny from advocacy groups like the Medical Justice Alliance regarding the constitutional right to medical care in private facilities. Concerns intensified following the death of Jose Chajon-Raxon, a Guatemalan immigrant who experienced seizure-like activity while held at Delaney Hall in July 2026. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated Chajon-Raxon was released from custody after being hospitalized, he subsequently passed away. DHS noted it was not notified of his death and stated that under current policy, ICE is not responsible for monitoring deaths occurring after an individual is no longer in its custody. This lack of oversight follows a policy reversal where ICE rescinded a 2021 Biden-era rule that required the agency to notify Congress and investigate deaths occurring within 30 days of a detainee's release. U.S. Representative Rob Menendez ~~reported receiving conflicting information regarding the incident.~~ criticized this change, arguing it creates a loophole to avoid public scrutiny. These ~~fatalities, alongside others involving detainees from El Salvador and Haiti,~~ fatalities have prompted calls from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and members of Congress for health inspections and the permanent closure of the facility.

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