Chicago Teen Dies After Advocating for Father's Deportation Release

Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo, 16, passed away from a rare cancer after fighting for her father's path to citizenship.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo, a 16-year-old from Chicago, died on Friday after battling a rare form of cancer. Ofelia had been advocating for her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, who was detained by immigration officials last fall and faced deportation. Three days before Ofelia's death, an immigration judge ruled that Torres Maldonado was conditionally entitled to receive 'cancellation of removal' due to the hardships his deportation would cause his U.S. citizen children.

Why it matters

Ofelia's advocacy highlighted the difficult situations faced by immigrant families, especially when children are involved. Her courageous fight for her father's release and path to citizenship despite her own health struggles inspired many and underscored the human impact of immigration enforcement policies.

The details

Ofelia was diagnosed with stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive form of soft tissue cancer, in December 2024. She had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment while also advocating for her father's release. Torres Maldonado, a painter and home renovator, was detained in October 2025 during a major immigration crackdown in the Chicago area. Ofelia appeared in a video and attended a hearing for her father, pleading that he was a hardworking immigrant who should not be targeted.

  • Ofelia was diagnosed with cancer in December 2024.
  • Torres Maldonado was detained on October 18, 2025.
  • An immigration judge ruled three days before Ofelia's death that Torres Maldonado was conditionally entitled to 'cancellation of removal'.
  • Ofelia died on February 16, 2026.

The players

Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo

A 16-year-old Chicago resident who advocated for her father's release from deportation while battling a rare form of cancer.

Ruben Torres Maldonado

Ofelia's father, a painter and home renovator who was detained by immigration officials in October 2025 and faced deportation.

Kalman Resnick

The attorney representing Ruben Torres Maldonado.

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What they’re saying

“Ofelia was heroic and brave in the face of ICE's detention and threatened deportation of her father. We mourn Ofelia's passing, and we hope that she will serve as a model for us all for how to be courageous and to fight for what's right to our last breaths.”

— Kalman Resnick, Torres Maldonado's attorney

“My dad, like many other fathers, is a hard-working person who wakes up early in the morning and goes to work without complaining, thinking about his family. I find it so unfair that hardworking immigrant families are being targeted just because they were not born here.”

— Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo (GoFundMe)

What’s next

The judge's ruling provides Torres Maldonado with a path to becoming a lawful permanent resident and eventual U.S. citizenship.

The takeaway

Ofelia's courageous fight for her father's release despite her own health struggles highlighted the human impact of immigration enforcement policies and the importance of advocating for immigrant families, even in the face of adversity.