Ofelia Torres, 16 — Teen Who Fought for Father's Release Dies of Cancer

Ofelia Torres, a 16-year-old Chicago junior at Lake View High School, died of Stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma — just three days after an immigration judge granted her father "cancellation of removal." Her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, a house painter with the same employer for 20 years and no criminal record, was arrested by ICE agents at a Home Depot parking lot in Niles, Illinois on October 18, 2025, during "Operation Midway Blitz." Ofelia went public about her cancer diagnosis to advocate for his release, generating national attention.