Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo, 16, died Friday from stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma after battling the rare cancer while advocating for her father's release from immigration detention. The Chicago teenager had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment since December 2024 when she was diagnosed with the aggressive soft tissue cancer.

Her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, a painter and home renovator, was detained October 18 at a Home Depot store during Operation Midway Blitz, a major immigration crackdown. An immigration judge ruled three days before Ofelia's death that Torres Maldonado was conditionally entitled to cancellation of removal due to hardships his deportation would cause his US-born children. The ruling provides a path to lawful permanent residency and eventual citizenship.

Ofelia attended hearings in a wheelchair after being released from the hospital just a day before her father's arrest so she could see family and friends. Her attorneys argued she had been unable to continue cancer treatment due to the stress and disruption. The Department of Homeland Security alleged Torres Maldonado had been living illegally in the US since 2003 and had driving offenses including operating without a license and insurance. Torres Maldonado was later released on a $2,000 bond after a judge found his detention violated due process rights.