The family was detained when immigration authorities were conducting an unrelated search warrant near their home on March 27.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had criticized detaining the family while their case was working its way through the U.S. immigration system.

“I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to Gemelli as a sign of closeness,’’ the pontiff said in the Angelus text prepared for the traditional prayer but ...