Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is offering his condolences to the family of Ofelia Torres, the 16-year-old who fought to get her father released from immigration detention as she battled a rare and deadly cancer. She died Friday.
A family spokesperson said Torres had a rare cancer of the soft tissues.
Her father, Rueben Torres, had been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in a Niles Home Depot parking lot on Oct. 18, at the height of Operation Midway Blitz. The teen fought for her father’s release, testifying for the court even in her fragile state. A judge eventually ruled his rights were violated when he was detained without a bond hearing.
His attorney said he is the family’s main parent. He was later released on $2,000 bond as his deportation case made its way through the system.
Just days before her death, an immigration judge ruled her father’s deportations could halt because of the hardships on his children, who are U.S. Citizens, and on Ofelia in particular. She was able to attend that hearing remotely, her family’s spokesperson said.
In his message, Gov. Pritzker called Ofelia Torres "a symbol of strength at a time when even the strongest would have bowed."
He offered his deepest condolences to the family, adding the traditional Jewish mourning phrase, "May her memory be a blessing."
News,Region: Chicago,City: Chicago
via Local News – CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/zPedOFn
February 16, 2026 at 09:01AM
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