Overview
- Ofelia Torres died Feb. 14 at age 16 from metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, according to her family.
- Three days earlier, a Chicago immigration judge conditionally granted her father cancellation of removal, creating a path toward permanent residency that she watched via Zoom.
- Ruben Torres Maldonado was detained Oct. 18 outside a Home Depot in Niles during Operation Midway Blitz, after which Ofelia’s video drew broad attention to the case.
- A judge later ruled his arrest unlawful and ordered a bond hearing; he was released on $2,000 bond and returned home.
- Attorneys and supporters emphasized his lack of a criminal record and long residence in Chicago, as fundraising efforts continue for the family.