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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
José Olivares

US teen who pushed for her father’s release from ICE custody dies of cancer

man smiles with teen girl and young boy
Ofelia Torres, right, with her father Ruben and her brother, left. Photograph: Valerie Wadycki/YouTube

A Chicago teenager, whose father was detained by immigration authorities while she navigated cancer, died on Friday, a family spokesperson said.

Ofelia Torres, a 16-year-old in Chicago, had been undergoing treatment for an aggressive and rare form of cancer since late 2024. As she and her family struggled with the medical procedures, her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, was detained by immigration authorities while at a Home Depot in October, leading to a contentious and public case that highlighted the human effects of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown.

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