Ofelia Torres
A Chicago teenager who captured national attention while fighting both stage 4 cancer and for her father’s release from immigration detention has died. Ofelia Torres pᴀssed away Friday at the age of 16, according to a representative for her family.
The cause of death was metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Torres became widely known last fall after her father, Ruben Torres-Maldonado, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a federal immigration enforcement initiative referred to as “Operation Midway Blitz” under the administration of President Donald Trump. At the time, Torres posted an emotional video on social media calling for her father’s release and later shared her story in a televised interview on ABC News’ “Nightline” with correspondent Stephanie Ramos.
“I need the world to know my dad’s story and if that means letting the world know I have cancer, so be it. I don’t care,” Torres said during the interview. “I need my dad.”
According to her family’s representative, just three days before her death, an immigration judge ruled that Torres-Maldonado was conditionally enтιтled to receive cancellation of removal, a legal determination that could open a pathway toward lawful permanent residency. Torres reportedly watched the hearing virtually.
Torres-Maldonado had been taken into custody by ICE agents on Oct. 18 outside a Home Depot in Niles, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He was released on bond approximately two weeks later. His attorney, Kalman Resnick, previously stated at a press conference that federal agents surrounded Torres-Maldonado’s truck, broke a window and removed him at gunpoint.
At the time, Department of Homeland Security ᴀssistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Torres-Maldonado had backed into a government vehicle while attempting to flee. DHS described him as a “criminal illegal alien,” citing prior infractions including driving without insurance, driving without a valid license and speeding.
Despite the circumstances of her father’s arrest, Torres expressed compᴀssion toward the agents involved. In her “Nightline” interview, she said, “To the ICE agents who smashed my dad’s window, to the ICE agent who pointed a gun at my dad, I’m not mad at you … I just want you to know that that was not the right thing to do.”
In a statement released Sunday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson praised Torres’ courage, saying she “led a steadfast, dedicated and truly inspiring life,” adding that “Ofelia’s love will endure.”
Attorney Kalman Resnick also paid tribute to Torres, describing her as “heroic and brave in the face of ICE’s detention and threatened deportation of her father.” He added, “We mourn Ofelia’s pᴀssing, 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.”
Torres is remembered by family, friends and supporters as a determined young woman who chose to speak publicly during one of the most difficult moments of her life. Her advocacy not only highlighted her family’s immigration case but also drew attention to broader debates surrounding immigration enforcement and humanitarian considerations.
Her family has requested privacy as they mourn her pᴀssing.
