FERNDALE, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – An Oregon Congresswoman is fighting to free a family detained by ICE in Whatcom County.

Rep. Maxine Dexter visited the ICE Detention Center in Ferndale, where the family is being held on Friday.

“They have spent almost two weeks locked in a detention facility, cut off from the outside world, denied access to legal counsel, and disappeared by their own government,” Rep. Dexter said. “These are U.S. citizen children.”

She received information earlier this week that a mother from Honduras and her four children, who are U.S. citizens, were detained by ICE officials at the Peace Arch border crossing on June 28.

Dexter says that her office couldn’t get clear answers as to where the family was being held until her team arrived in Ferndale on Thursday.

“The mother has pending immigration documents that are not yet finalized with the government. She is seeking an alternative visa,” Rep. Dexter said.

Two other family members were later detained by ICE and were taken to the NW Detention Center in Tacoma. Customs and Border Protection released a statement claiming the woman was accused of smuggling people over the border.

But Dexter and the woman’s legal representative said that they haven’t been able to verify that claim.

“We have had no chance to review any paperwork by CBP of the narrative of what took place at this time. And we’ve asked repeatedly for that information,” Rep. Dexter said. “In fact, it is my impression that the only reason we even found out where she was – her attorney had been trying to locate her for days – was because my congressional office got involved.”

Rep. Rick Larsen adds that his team is working with Dexter and her office to learn more about why the detention happened.