An open letter to the U.S. Congress

Defund ICE and Close Delaney Hall Detention Facility

116 so far! Help us get to 250 signers!

Edwin Lopez-Cornejo is dead. He was 41 years old, held at Delaney Hall in Newark for six weeks, and his mother says he was complaining of numbness in his face and hand before he died. This is the second death at that facility since it reopened in 2025. Watchdog groups tracking ICE custody deaths say 2026 is on pace to be the deadliest year in at least two decades. I want you to defund ICE and push to close Delaney Hall immediately. Delaney Hall is a GEO Group private prison operating under a 15-year, $1 billion federal contract. The advocacy group Mami Chelo has documented a pattern of delayed medical care there, and the facility has faced months of protests over inhumane conditions. ICE's claim that Lopez-Cornejo "received proper medical care" is not credible when people keep dying. At minimum, demand an independent investigation into his death and a review of every detainee with serious medical needs currently held there. This is not about immigration policy. It is about people dying in government custody while a private company collects a billion dollars. Stop funding it.

▶ Created on August 4 by Jessica

Sign Petition

Already signed?

  • Promote this campaign to get it texted to potential signers
  • Share this page or image
    A shareable card that reads "tell the U.S. Congress: Defund ICE and Close Delaney Hall Detention Facility" followed by "text sign PTZHDM to 50409"
  • Text INVITE PTZHDM to ask your friends to sign via text or email
  • and post around campus or on your community bulletin board
  • Use the iOS app to share with your contacts
  • Join our Discord and connect with fellow organizers
  • Upgrade to Premium to unlock more features and make sure we can keep delivering
Share on BlueskyShare on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on WhatsAppShare on TumblrEmail with GmailEmail

Fund texts of this petition

Drive more letter deliveries by funding text appeals to users. Become a member to double your reach per dollar.