Latinos file suit against county's anti-immigration resolution




Associated Press - October 10, 2007 2:05 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - Latinos in northern Virginia are filing a lawsuit today against Prince William County in an attempt to put the brakes on an anti-illegal immigration resolution.

The lawsuit will be filed in Alexandria federal court. It contends that the resolution passed by the Board of Supervisors in July violates the U.S. Constitution and federal and state laws.

The resolution allows local police to check the residency status of individuals they encounter and authorizes county employees to collect immigration data on people who seek public benefits. The county also is seeking to deny public services to illegal immigrants including housing assistance, drug rehab for jail inmates and senior programs.

The groups filing the lawsuit on behalf of the Latinos say that the Prince William resolution infringes on Congress' power to regulate immigration.

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