Minnesota boys from Liam Ramos School released by ICE

Two Minnesota children — a second-grader and a fifth-grader — who were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week were released and returned home.

The boys go to the same Columbia Heights Elementary School as 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos Arrested by ICE last month It swept the Twin Cities and the nation as photos of the little boy wearing his winter hat surrounded by customers circulated online.

The two brothers were there last week School staff brought him to the Whipple Federal Building near Fort Snelling at their mother’s request after federal agents arrested her during a court date.

The family was transferred that same day to an ICE family detention center in Dilley, Texas, despite immigration officials showing they had documents proving the family’s legal presence in the United States.

On Wednesday, the children and their mother were released and flown back to Minnesota. Jason Coleman, principal at Valley View Elementary School in Columbia Heights, picked them up at the Twin Cities Airport and brought them home safely.

School officials said in a statement: “The mother and children are in good health and are eager to resume the children’s education.” Their names were not revealed.

The two elementary school children were the latest Columbia Heights students to be arrested by federal agents. District officials say six of their children were arrested in January while family members were detained.

The district says some children are still missing

District officials say several other children are still missing from their schools, but it is unclear whether they have been detained or moved with their families.

In recent weeks, school officials and attorneys for detained children said ICE was sending Minnesota families to a Texas detention center. Within hours of their arrest — in some cases without providing them with access to legal counsel.

In many cases, out-of-state deportations occurred against a judge’s orders.

Columbia Heights district leaders say the two children who returned with their mother on Wednesday found one of their fifth-grade classmates from Valley View Elementary School while at the Deli facility.

The fifth grader, her mother and stepfather were in contact with Valley View Elementary School on Jan. 9.

“School staff have been trying to reach them since that time and have not known their whereabouts,” Columbia Heights school leaders said in a statement. “Although it is difficult to know that they have been in this detention center for nearly a month now, district staff have been able to connect the family with legal representation.”

Columbia Heights has located one of the Dilley High School students, but the district said “there are other students with whom we have lost contact who may also be in a detention center.”