Seven members of an extended British family who made an unauthorized crossing into the United States from Canada are being held in federal custody at a Pennsylvania detention center nearly two weeks after their arrest.

U.S. border officials defended their handling of the case by disclosing that two of the adults had previously been denied entry to the country.

The family said they blundered into Washington state while trying to avoid an animal in the road on the Canadian side and have since been “treated like criminals” by their U.S. jailers, as they await deportation to England. The detainees include an infant and 2-year-old twins.

Their attorney, Bridget Cambria, described the situation as a “very bizarre” case of federal overreach.

U.S. officials assert the family of Eileen and David Connors crossed the border on purpose, noting their vehicle was observed “slowly and deliberately” driving through a ditch to cross into U.S. territory in Blaine, Washington, on Oct. 2. Four adults and three children were inside.

The agency said that border agents tried returning the family to Canada, but Canada refused to have them back. After making two attempts to contact British consular officials, the border patrol said it turned the family over to U.S. immigration officials for removal proceedings.

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