Daughter of Detained Chicago Man Dies from Cancer

Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo, 16, passed away after battling a rare form of cancer while her father fought deportation.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo, the 16-year-old daughter of a Chicago man detained by immigration officials, has died after a battle with a rare form of cancer. Ofelia had spoken out for her father's release, but tragically passed away just days before an immigration judge ruled that her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, could receive 'cancellation of removal' due to the hardships his deportation would cause his U.S. citizen children.

Why it matters

This case highlights the human toll of immigration enforcement actions, as a young girl fighting for her father's freedom tragically lost her own battle with a devastating illness. It also underscores the complex legal and family dynamics involved in deportation cases, where the well-being of U.S. citizen children is a key consideration.

The details

Ofelia was diagnosed in December 2024 with stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive form of soft tissue cancer. She had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, was detained by immigration officials in October 2025 in a crackdown dubbed 'Operation Midway Blitz.' Ofelia appeared in a video pleading for her father's release, saying he was a hardworking immigrant targeted 'just because they were not born here.' An immigration judge later ruled that Torres Maldonado could receive 'cancellation of removal' due to the hardships his deportation would cause his U.S. citizen children.

  • Ofelia was diagnosed with cancer in December 2024.
  • Torres Maldonado was detained by immigration officials in October 2025.
  • An immigration judge ruled in favor of Torres Maldonado just three days before Ofelia's death on February 15, 2026.

The players

Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo

The 16-year-old daughter of Ruben Torres Maldonado who battled a rare form of cancer and spoke out for her father's release from immigration detention.

Ruben Torres Maldonado

A Chicago man detained by immigration officials in October 2025 who was later ruled eligible for 'cancellation of removal' due to the hardships his deportation would cause his U.S. citizen children.

Kalman Resnick

The attorney representing Ruben Torres Maldonado in his immigration case.

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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 immigration judge's ruling provides a path for Ruben Torres Maldonado to become a lawful permanent resident and eventual U.S. citizen.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the immense human toll that aggressive immigration enforcement can have on families, especially when U.S. citizen children are involved. Ofelia's courageous fight for her father's freedom, even as she battled cancer, serves as a poignant reminder of the real-world impacts of these policies.