British Family Detained After Crossing Border Near Blaine

BLAINE, WA — Seven British family members remain in federal custody, two weeks after illegally crossing the border into Washington state near Blaine. The Associated Press reports the family has lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and said they made a wrong turn while driving in Canada and mistakenly ended up on American soil. Border officials deny the crossing was accidental.

National Public Radio reports a 3-month-old is among those detained and the family says they are being kept in a dirty Pennsylvania facility that is unequipped to care for a young infant. ICE denies any mistreatment.

According to the Washington Post, the family was vacationing in Vancouver and made an unplanned detour after an animal blocked the road they were on. They were soon pulled over by American authorities. The family says they were not allowed to turn around, and instead were arrested. An immigration lawyer representing the family said she was hopeful they would be on a plane back to England sometime this week.