Two staff members for Alderman Michael Rodriguez are back home after they were detained by federal agents near Little Village on Wednesday afternoon. They were reunited with coworkers who fought for hours for their release.

For seven hours, Elianne Behena and Jax Lopez were in U.S. Customs and Border Patrol custody. Both are staff members at the office of 22nd Ward Ald. Rodriguez. Behena is also an elected official in the 10th District.

The Little Village community rejoiced outside Ald. Rodriguez's office as they welcomed Behena and Lopez back after they spent hours in federal custody.

"They were taken because Bovino is on our streets under Donald Trump's orders and they are causing mayhem in our streets," Rodriguez said during a press conference Wednesday evening.

Why they were detained remains unclear, but Ald. Rodriguez said they were arrested near 26th and Kostner while warning the community of immigration enforcement in the area. Rodriguez says at least eight people were detained.

"After the last incident, we were like, 'Where the hell is Elianne and Jax?' and we got really scared, and Elianne said they could see me from the cars at the last stop. I'll live with that," he said.

For hours, they worked to get the two staff members back. Rodriguez said it was a call from a volunteer lawyer who took Bahena and Lopez's case, helping to locate them in federal custody as they were being considered for charges.

Staff and friends went to pick them up, and they were in attendance at the press conference, where U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia expressed delight that the two staffers were back home.

Illinois Sen. Celina Villanueva said, "While we are happy that we have Eli and Jax with us, there are more people currently in ICE detainment that don't know if they are ever going to get out or don't know if they are ever going to see their loved ones."

Neither Elianne nor Jax was ready to speak with the media. Ald. Rodriguez said they have not decided if they will take legal action.
CBS News Chicago reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about the arrests, but did not hear back.