Today, HSPRD attorneys held a press conference to announce that an immigration judge has ordered ICE to release our client, Ruben Torres Maldonado, from a detention facility in Brazil, Indiana. On October 18, ICE detained Torres Maldonado shortly after his 16-year-old daughter, Ofelia, returned home from the hospital, where she was receiving cancer treatments.
He is represented by HSPRD attorneys Kalman Resnick, Charlie Wysong, and Naiara Testai, who have been advocating for his release so he can reunite with his family.
Last week, a judge ruled that Torres Maldonado’s detention violated his due process rights and ordered that he be given a prompt bond hearing. Torres Maldonado has lived in the United States since 2003 and has no criminal history.
Attorneys for Torres Maldonado urged for him to be released so his teenage daughter, Ofelia, could continue receiving her cancer treatments. Ofelia attended the federal court hearing in a wheelchair, accompanied by her family. Her treatments had been on hold since her father was detained by federal agents, who initially took him to the Broadview ICE facility before transferring him to a detention center in Clay County, Indiana.
Ofelia is battling stage 4 cancer and is receiving treatment at Lurie Children’s Hospital, while Torres Maldonado also has a four-year-old son.
“We are grateful the judge made the humane and sensible decision to reunite Ruben Torres Maldonado with his family during this extremely difficult time,” said Resnick. “We remain committed to keeping this family together in the United States and will represent Mr. Torres Maldonado in seeking permanent residency through Cancellation of Removal, given the severe hardship his deportation would impose on his children.”
Torres Maldonado, who had been held at the detention center in Brazil, Indiana, was ordered released on a $2,000 bond and is returning home to his family in Chicago on Thursday.
For background on this case, see our earlier posts here and here.
