The brothers, Venezuelan nationals who have lived in the United States with their parents, Carlos Enrique Orta and Reyna Santoro de Orta, were driving to their college campus in Alabama when police in Lincoln, Ala., pulled them over. According to the family and their attorneys, the stop occurred after the driver failed to complete a stop sign. The brothers were then booked into jail and later transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

ICE records confirm the brothers are in the agency's custody at a facility in Louisiana. The arrest came one day after heavy electoral losses for Republicans, which prompted President Trump to publicly express misgivings about the political cost of immigration enforcement that is perceived as "too tough."

At the family's Bethlehem home, medals, plaques and championship trophies fill the walls. Carlos Enrique Orta described the house as "the house of two elite soccer players." The brothers were standouts at Archer and had been recruited to play at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala., where they were enrolled this fall.

Attorneys for the family say the brothers have legal permission to be in the country. According to a statement from their legal team, the twins have no criminal record and had applied for asylum and work permits that were pending. The family's lawyer said the brothers had been granted a period of authorized stay and were awaiting a final decision on their immigration applications.

"They have legal status," said Reyna Santoro de Orta, the brothers' mother. "They have no criminal record. They are not criminals."

The family's attorney said the brothers were "unlawfully detained" and that the government's decision to take them into custody was "not based on any criminal conduct." The attorney added that the brothers had complied with all immigration requirements and had no prior encounters with law enforcement.

The case has drawn attention amid a broader debate over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics. In a "60 Minutes" interview on Nov. 8, Trump said that his administration might have been "too tough" on immigration and that he was open to a more humane approach. But he also wrote on social media that the country had been "built by people who came here legally" and that "we want people to come into our country legally."

Despite those statements, ICE operations have continued. The agency has posted a record number of arrests and deportations in recent months, and the administration has expanded detention capacity. The Department of Homeland Security has said it will continue to enforce immigration laws, and ICE has said it will not apologize for enforcing the law.

For the Orta Santoro family, the detention has been a source of anguish. The brothers' parents said they are proud of their sons' accomplishments and are hopeful they will be released soon.

"It's a difficult time," said Carlos Enrique Orta. "But we have faith in God and in the legal system."

The family's attorney has filed a request for the brothers' release and is seeking to have their case reviewed by an immigration judge. The brothers remain in ICE custody pending a hearing.