Teen Advocate for Father's Release From ICE Dies of Cancer

Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo, 16, fought for her father's release from ICE custody while battling an aggressive form of cancer.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Sixteen-year-old Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo died on Friday after a battle with stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer. Ofelia had become a public advocate for her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in October 2025 as part of the Trump administration's "Operation Midway Blitz" immigration crackdown in the Chicago area.

Why it matters

The case highlights the intersection of immigration enforcement and family hardship, particularly involving families with U.S.-born children. Ofelia's advocacy for her father's release while undergoing cancer treatment underscores the difficult choices and sacrifices immigrant families face when facing deportation.

The details

Torres Maldonado, a painter and home renovator, was detained on October 18, 2025 at a Home Depot store in suburban Chicago. His lawyers petitioned for his release as his deportation case proceeded, and a judge later ruled that his detention was illegal and ordered a bond hearing. Torres Maldonado was subsequently released on a $2,000 bond. Ofelia became a public advocate for her father's release, attending a hearing in a wheelchair just one day after being released from the hospital for her cancer treatment.

  • Ofelia was diagnosed with stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in December 2024.
  • Torres Maldonado was detained on October 18, 2025.
  • Ofelia attended a hearing for her father's case in October 2025, having been released from the hospital just one day before.
  • Ofelia died on February 15, 2026.
  • On February 12, 2026, 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.-born children.

The players

Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo

A 16-year-old Chicago teenager who became an advocate for her father's release from ICE custody while battling an aggressive form of cancer.

Ruben Torres Maldonado

Ofelia's father, a painter and home renovator who was detained by ICE in October 2025 as part of the Trump administration's "Operation Midway Blitz" immigration crackdown in the Chicago area.

Sandibell Hidalgo

Ofelia's mother and Torres Maldonado's partner, who also has a younger son who is a U.S. citizen.

Kalman Resnick

Torres Maldonado's attorney.

Chris Van Hollen

A Maryland Democratic senator who criticized the case on X (Twitter).

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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

“A child dying of cancer spent her final days fighting to free her wrongfully detained father from ICE custody. This comes just weeks after a mother from Maryland was denied the right to be at her son's side as he died from cancer. Not one dime for this cruelty.”

— Chris Van Hollen, Senator (X (Twitter)

“We'll never give up our mission to save our nation by securing our borders, deporting criminal illegal aliens, and enforcing the law.”

— Department of Homeland Security (X (Twitter)

What’s next

Torres Maldonado will continue through the immigration process toward lawful permanent residency following the judge's ruling granting him conditional cancellation of removal.

The takeaway

Ofelia's courageous fight to free her father from ICE custody while battling cancer underscores the immense human toll of aggressive immigration enforcement policies, particularly on families with U.S.-born children. Her story serves as a poignant reminder of the need for more compassionate and humane approaches to immigration that prioritize keeping families together.