New Jersey opens civil rights investigation into ICE's Delaney Hall detention center

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Friday that the state has launched a civil rights investigation into the federal detention center Delaney Hall in Newark, which is operated by a private prison company. 

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, which can house up to 1,000 illegal migrants, has been the focal point of several prominent incidents recently, including protests and the unexpected death of a migrant last weekend. 

The detainee was identified as 41-year-old Salvadoran migrant Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, who died after experiencing a medical emergency while in ICE custody on Saturday. Lopez-Cornejo's cause of death has not been released. 

The investigation comes after Lopez-Cornejo's family earlier this week called for an independent investigation after accusing facility operators of failing to provide vital ​medical attention to their loved one, claiming he suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes ​and epilepsy, for which he relied on several medications to keep under control, according to Reuters.

ICE has maintained that Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care and was seen ​by health professionals.

Davenport's office said that the new investigation will "focus on whether any action or inaction by GEO Group employees violated ‌the ⁠civil rights of people detained at the facility."

“New Jersey has a legal and a moral duty to stand up for the civil rights of people in our State,” Davenport said. “For detained individuals, including those held by a private corporation like GEO Group, those rights include the right to humane treatment and adequate medical care. We will take every action available under law to safeguard these core legal principles."

ICE has not commented on the new investigation.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.