Police agree to cease harassment of Latino day laborers at local 7-11
Commonwealth Attorneys for Prince William County agreed today to drop charges against a group of immigrant day laborers, all of Latino background, who were the arrested for loitering at a Woodbridge 7-11 last fall. In a hearing this morning in General District Court in Manassas, the judge agreed to continue the case for 30 days, at which time the loitering charges will be dropped.
Local police have now agreed to stop harassing the workers, who gather each morning at the 7-11 to be picked up for day work. An agreement with the operators of the 7-11 is also expected soon.
The ACLU of Virginia, which represented 11 individuals whose cases came before the court today, maintains that the day laborers were lawfully assembled while waiting for work, that they were not in violation of the county loitering ordinance, and that the loitering ordinance itself is unconstitutional.
“We are pleased that the loitering charges have been dropped and that this matter appears to be coming to a successful resolution,” said ACLU of Virginia executive director Kent Willis. “But this should have never happened in the first place. These are peaceful, productive individuals who simply gather to be picked up for work each morning. Were they not immigrants, it is highly unlikely they would have ever been arrested.”
Outside the courtroom this morning, a small group of demonstrators assembled to protest the ACLU’s representation of the laborers. The protestors claimed that lax immigration rules create a security risk for U.S. citizens.
The ACLU was prepared to argue in court that the Prince William County anti-loitering ordinance is unconstitutionally vague, allowing police to apply it in a biased manner, and that the laborers did not violate the ordinance because they did not impede vehicles or pedestrian traffic, interfere with the conduct of business, or otherwise involve themselves in unlawful activity. Those arguments became unnecessary after the agreement was reached to drop the charges.
Alexandria lawyer John Zwerling, a cooperating attorney for the ACLU of Virginia, argued the case today. ACLU of Virginia legal director Rebecca K. Glenberg was also present to represent the defendants.
ACLU of Virginia Contacts: Kent Willis, Executive Director or Rebecca Glenberg, Legal Director; 804-644-8022
