Civil rights groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of both legal and illegal immigrants in an effort to block the controversial crackdown in Prince William County.

The groups argue in the suit that the county overstepped its authority just as the county board of supervisors considers whether to ramp up local police enforcement of immigration violations and deny some county services to illegal residents.

“On its face, the resolution is a poor attempt by the County Board to circumvent federal law and regulate immigration according to its own rules,” the lawsuit alleges.

But Prince William County Chairman Corey Stewart, who has led efforts to deny county services to illegal immigrants, said he welcomed the lawusit. He predicted the result would be a landmark decision that upholds the rights of communities to adopt stricter policies toward illegal immigration.

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“We crafted the resolution very carefully, we drafted the implementation very cautiously and we are confident that the resolution and its implementation are going to withstand this and any other legal challenges that may arise,” Stewart said.

The Washington firm Howrey LLP filed the lawsuit in Alexandria’s U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia along with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights.

“Nowhere in this country have the courts upheld the right of local governments to do the things Prince William County is trying to do,” PRLDEF President Cesar Perales said.

The pro-immigrant lawyers say their suit is a vital chance to defeat a discriminatory local law aimed at immigrants.

The 21 plaintiffs featured 15 anonymous individuals. The group included citizens who say the crackdown on immigrants has led to discrimination against them, as well as illegal immigrants and people with work visas.

Prince William County supervisors are set to vote on the plan Tuesday after months of county analysis and debate.

Supervisors delayed a vote last week, waiting for a financial forecast to see whether the five-year $14 million program is affordable.

“This case is very important because the county is treating all Latinos like we’re from outer space,” said Tulio Diaz, a 35-year Prince William County resident born in Puerto Rico.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com