Prosecutors in Prince William County have dropped loitering charges against four Hispanic men after the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the case.
The men were arrested in May outside an apartment complex where they lived. The ACLU said the county's ordinance is used to target Hispanics and that it infringes on First Amendment protections of free assembly.
Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert said he believes the loitering law is constitutional. But it also requires police to give offenders a warning before an arrest, and that didn't occur in this case.
The county in recent years has implemented numerous policies to crack down on illegal immigrants. Critics say that has resulted in discrimination against Hispanics.
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